


Knight of Blaze

by Yoruko_Yamirai



Category: Homestuck, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Mild Language, divergence from canon, mild violence, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 00:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6172636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoruko_Yamirai/pseuds/Yoruko_Yamirai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagome Higurashi was reborn as Dave Strider's twin. Just like Dave, she plays Sburb with John, Rose, and Jade. How will the trolls handle someone who isn't phazed by the fact that they're aliens? The only thing clear is that the strilonde family just got stranger. Enemies beware because Kagome will not stand for ANYONE hurting her friends or family. If they try, she just might give literal meaning to 'If you play with fire you're going to get burned'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've also posted this on fanfiction.net. More importantly, this was inspired by an untitled Sollux/Reader fic by Deviantart user TheFoggyLondonView.

Chapter One:

Kagome Strider was thirteen years old. In fact she had been for about four months along with her twin, Dave. Their Bro didn’t do much besides presents and Cake in way of celebrations and as per the Strider Code it was mandatory that what few full out celebrations did commence were ironic or cool. Kagome was musically inclined and trained in weapons, and liked videogames as was normal for a Strider. She was also good with programming and codes, she was mostly self taught but once Bro found out he tutored her in what she couldn’t figure out by trial and error. For a hobby that Kagome was interested in Dave didn’t share was anime and manga for reasons nobody would believe. Most of the time she had a poker face just as good as her brothers but Kagome unlike them was quite hot tempered. 

So far it was about lunchtime and nothing ordinary had happened but it wasn’t an ordinary day. Today was March Thirteenth, the Strider twins’ friend John’s thirteenth birthday. It was also the day they were due to play a game called Sburb with him. Or rather, ‘they’ provided Dave quit being stubborn. Kagome planned to play no matter what Dave said about it. She had it on good authority this wasn’t a normal game, and things could go very wrong if they didn’t play. At the moment, Kagome was busy on Pesterchum so she could make sure John had received his presents and giving him a birthday greeting. But first Kagome had to deal with a troll; and a literal one at that if this bunch could be believed. Which Kagome did considering they apparently used a non existent chat client called Trollian.

twinArmageddons [TA] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

TA: 2o thiis ii2 iit. You 2stiill 2ure about playiing that game?

ES: Will not playing save anything?  
TA: Of cour2e not. But playing won’t do you any good eiither.

ES: Maybe that’s true, but I won’t know until I try

ES: Even when fate seems against you there’s always a way. After all the multiverse theory exists for a reason

TA: You’re kiinda weiird for a human, you know that ES?

TA: You’re the only one who ha2n’t que2tiioned that we’re not ju2t a bunch of human2 me22iing wiith you.

ES: Well, there’s a very good reason for that. But I doubt even an alien would believe me given the lack of proof

ES: By the way I could’ve sworn I’ve said this before but you can just call me Kagome, you know. It’s not like you don’t already know my name. Or even ‘KG’ or ‘KS’ if you refuse to stray from your bifurcation theme

ES: Speaking of what’s your name? It’s only fair since you know mine

TA: Iits 2ollux Captor. And Iill thiink about it. Anyway Iim goiing to let you get 2tarted.

twinArmageddons has ceased trolling electricSunset

Kagome rolled her eyes. Boys were very touchy no matter what species. It was true before and it was true now. She couldn’t tell if Sollux was awkward, if she had somehow embarrassed him, or what. As long as boys were the subject after this she needed to remember to warn Bro that things were about to get crazy. And that Dave would be involved but intended to drag his feet to the last moment.

electricSunset [ES] began pestering ectoBiologist

ES: Happy birthday, John

ES: Did you get your gifts

ES: Jooohhnnn. You aren’t treating leaving your room like a quest in an action adventure or trapping a portable device in your sylladex because of your awkward fetch modus again are you? I’ve told you to ask your dad for one that actually works sensibly

EB: what no of course not. who do you take me for?

ES: John, you don’t really think you’re fooling anyone do you

EB: okay, so i’m kind of about to try to get my presents from my dad’s car without confronting him.

EM: John, you’re so silly. I’ve heard of old women who bake less but your dad is still just a nice, ordinary man

EB: okay, so maybe you’re right. but he still shoves my dislike of harlequins in my face with all of those stupid dolls and stuff.

ES: You know, maybe he thinks you actually like them

EB: what, no way!

ES: You like clowns though, don’t you

EB: of course! clowns are awesome.

ES: *rolls eyes* Whatever, John. Just let me know when you’ve got the gifts. I’m going to get ready to play the game

EB: okay kagome.

electricSunset has ceased pestering ectoBiologist

Kagome walked out of her room, which had been Bro’s room until she and Dave had grown too old for a brother and sister sharing a room to be comfortable. She made sure to switch her phone from her pocket to her sylladex to make sure it didn’t break. When Bro wasn’t in sight when she got to the living room Kagome didn’t bother reacting. After all he did this all the time.

“Bro? Can we please talk a minute?” Kagome called out.

With the familiar breeze that came with flash step Bro was in front of her. “What is it, lil’ sis?”

“Today I’m going to play Sburb with my friends, and from what little information is available and the things I’ve been told it will get crazier than usual around here.” Kagome informed her guardian, “Dave should be playing too but he’s being stubborn.”

Bro snorted. “Yeah, the lil’ man can be stubborn.”

“Anyway is it okay if I go to the convenience store?” she asked, “I thought it might come in handy to have some things besides snacks, soda, and apple juice.”

Bro’s eyes nearly showed as he looked down at her without tilting her head. “You handle crazy things just as well as you strife. One of these days you need to tell me how that is, it’ll probably explain why you know to treat this as more than a game too.”

Kagome looked at Lil’ Cal out of the corner of her eye. “Of course. Just... I don’t suppose you’d be willing to tell me if you ever find out how and why Lil’ Cal is so different from other puppets?”

Bro shrugged. “Does it matter if we do know?”

Kagome smiled, Lil’ Cal was weird but she couldn’t imagine Bro without him and when he wasn’t trying to scare Dave or her on purpose he was pretty cool. “I guess not.”

“Hey you’ve got your strife specibus right?” Bro asked.

Kagome held out the card for bladekind. “Of course, Bro. I won’t be long. Do we need anything specific?”

“I think Dave drank all our apple juice again.” Bro said.

“Okay then, I’ll be back soon.” Kagome said, giving a backwards wave as she left.

The moment she was out the door she adjusted her shades just to be doubly sure they wouldn’t slip. Kagome flash stepped down the stairs because she didn’t have the time to hope the elevator was close enough to not take forever. Bro might have broken it (again) anyway. Within two minutes she was at the closest convenience store. She got some things that most households considered basic groceries and other things such as pizza, chocolate milk, apple juice, apple sauce, pocky, and some dessert and pastries. When Kagome got to the cash register there was a special deal so she got some free soda. When she got back to the apartment building it was strangely empty. The elevator door was open but since her sylladex meant her hands were free Kagome took the stairs again. Flash step made the stairs faster than an elevator that old anyway. Halfway up Kagome paused to answer a pester.

grimAuxilliatrix [GA] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

GA: I Do Not Understand. Today Is Important, Why Did You Take The Time To Leave Your Hive?

ES: Well even normal heavy duty gaming requires the right supplies. If the things online and that you trolls have said are true that’s doubly the case. Either way it doesn’t hurt to be prepared

GA: Hm, I Am Not Quite Certain Of Your Reasoning But It Is A Wise Precaution Nonetheless.

GA: Goodness Knows How Many Of Us Would Have Benefitted Had Even One Person Had Your Foresight.

ES: Well, if this game is anything like the reason I don’t just write you trolls off it’s not like I could just go to the store later

GA: Well That Is All I Was Wondering About So I Shall Let You Get To It.

ES: Okay, talk to you later

grimAuxilliatrix has ceased trolling electricSunset

tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

TT: I trust I can rely on you to be more cooperative in today’s endeavor than your brother.

ES: Is Dave still saying he won’t play

TT: Indeed. I still find it fascinating that you are the more reasonable sibling.

ES: Don’t fret, getting out of it won’t be as easy as he expects

TT: By any chance are you referring to the more bizarre things these trolls that bother us say nobody but you pays attention to?

ES: In my defense they do say to expect the unexpected

TT: Yes, however that doesn’t appear to be your reasoning.

ES: Sorry, but all I’ll say for now is that I don’t know how I could make you believe me.

TT: Very well, then. I respect your desire to have evidence to present alongside what will surely be a story for the ages.

ES: Have you started playing

TT: I am just about to connect to John as his server player.

ES: I see. Well if you’ll excuse me I’m going to check on Dave before I download my copy of the game.

TT: Very well. The sooner you deal with him the sooner you can play.

tentacleTherapist has ceased pestering electricSunset

Kagome stowed the things she bought in the trunk she kept at the foot of her bed and her mini fridge once she entered the apartment. She didn’t bother with anything like a mini fridge for a while but when she tried keeping perishable goods in the fridge in the kitchen it would just get crushed or sliced up by his swords and ninja weapons. Once done she went to Dave’s room and knocked before entering. Dave was sitting at his computer. When he noticed her he looked towards her.

“Sup Sis?” he greeted.

“Are you going to play Sburb?” Kagome asked.

Dave shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe.”

“Well, I’m going to install my copy. You might want to stow yours in your sylladex until you’ve decided.” Kagome prompted.

“Eh, it’ll be fine. It’s not like anybody’s going to steal it.” Dave waved off.

Kagome shook her head. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Kagome had only just booted up her laptop when suddenly Lil’ Cal was clinging to her shoulder. When she looked at her shoulder she noticed that he had one of the notes Bro liked to use when he was in the mood to be evasive and set up a showdown. It said to meet on the roof after she updated her notes and to leave Lil’ Cal in the living room. Technically said notes were more of a journal but she didn’t write her feelings, just typed up things that happened and things that she needed to keep track of or make doubly sure she memorized. She had already started a set of notes on Sburb based off of walkthroughs, game FAQs, spoilers leaked by the gaming company, and the hints Jade and the trolls dropped. Once that day’s notes were started and the previous day’s checked to ensure nothing was left out Kagome pushed her chair back to head for what was likely a strife. Before she could even stand up let alone leave the room John finally got back to her.

ectoBiologist began pestering electricSunset

EB: hey Kagome I got your gift. it was awesome, but... why pink?

ES: I’m ashamed of you, John. What person who knows anime doesn’t recognize Usa-chan

EB: usa-chan? that sounds familiar...

EB: wait, wasn’t usa-chan the bunny from ouran? i thought it looked familiar.

EB: honey-senpai was kind of cool so this is pretty neat. thank you.

ES: Your welcome John

EB: gotta go, i’ve finally started playing and rose is wrecking my house

ES: Okay, John. Be careful

EB: of course!

ES: I’ve got to go, Bro is waiting.

electricSunset has ceased pestering ectoBiologist

Once Kagome reached the roof and Bro she drew a katana from her bladekind strife specibus. She held it in the ready position and waited. After five minutes of neither of them moving a muscle Kagome guessed that Bro wouldn’t make the first move and charged forward. Bro blocked her swing and they started trading blows. After a while of parrying Bro knocked the katana out of her hands. Jumping back Kagome threw some shuriken only for each and every one of them to be blocked. When a couple came flying back at her Kagome dove out of the way towards her katana. After a while of things being at standstill or Kagome barely holding her ground Bro finally decided to end it. He kicked at her so that she fell to the ground and slid backwards for a couple of feet. Despite the ground being concrete Bro even managed to pin her to the ground with a kunai. Once upon a time Kagome would have been upset by the resulting tear in her sleeve but things like that happened too often for her to care anymore.

“I forfeit. Any move I could make wouldn’t change that I’ve been put at a disadvantage.” Kagome conceded.

Bro nodded at Kagome. He walked over to her and retrieved his kunai. After handing back Kagome’s katana and helping her up he flash stepped and was gone again. Kagome noticed that during the strife Rose and John had pestered her again.

tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering electricSunset

TT: Kagome, I find myself in need of your assistance.

TT: The forest outside of my home has caught fire and meteors are falling. Based off of John’s experience with the game either this game caused it or the game is our only escape.

TT: I haven’t quite figured out which.

TT: Regardless without someone to be my server player I fear I may soon perish.

TT: Kagome are you there? I apologize for being impatient but time is of the essence.

TT: By your lack of response I take it one of your brothers has demanded your attention. I shall try Dave.

tentacleTherapist is an idle chum

ES: Sorry, Rose. I was taking care of a few things. Also you were spot on, Bro wanted to strife

ES: I never did understand why my brothers get so dramatic when Bro decides that it’s time for a spar

ES: Though based off of another couple examples I can think of it must be a guy thing

ES: Wait, the forest? As in your house might catch fire?! Are you okay

ES: Rose, do you still need me to be your server player

ES: Rose

ES: Please talk to me

ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

EB: kagome this game is way weird. first a meteor almost destroyed my house but then i found myself in a really weird place

EB: also there are these imp things everywhere that keep attacking me

EB: it’s really weird

ES: It’s nice to see you’re safe and sound. You holding up against the imps okay

EB: most of them are no big deal but i just encountered a couple of huge ones. also you don’t sound surprised.

ES: That’s because I’m not. There were all sorts of hints online and in information the gaming company released that this wouldn’t be an ordinary game

ES: Also the trolls tended to drop hints and spoilers of their own

ES: But nobody but me believed that they were serious about it

EB: oh, right. didn’t some of them claim that they were aliens or that all five of us had wronged them somehow?

ES: Most of them no matter how angry were mindful of preserving the timeline but yes

EB: with all of this i guess i might believe them now. given what this game is like it’s actually harder not to believe them. But now the question is why were you so open minded about it?

ES: I’d say ‘spoilers’ and leave it at that to imitate River Song because she’s pretty awesome unnecessary romance with Eleven aside

ES: But the truth is something even someone who’s been let in on the secret that aliens exist will be hard pressed to buy

EB: at this point i’ll buy almost anything.

ES: Well do you believe in reincarnation, John

EB: well if aliens and a game that can pull you into what i think is another dimension exist why not?

ES: My last life was no more normal than our lives are about to become. The brand of crazy in that life was depressingly lacking in modern conveniences and warm baths and a friend from the crazy side of that life was a jackass about letting me go home to see my family and take care of school stuff. It also involved time shenanigans

ES: It actually would’ve been really cool if something I lost or forgot about became an archeological discovery. Shoot I should tell Bro and Dave once I can be sure they’ll believe me, they’ll definitely appreciate that

EB: so you went back in time? did you fight corrupt nobles or royalty? or have to preserve the sanctity of the time stream?

ES: No, I broke a magical jewel that had been inside my gut for the first fifteen years of my life and had to gather the pieces to prevent an artificial half demon from causing enough chaos to end the world. Or at least Japan

EB: so you were japanese in your last life?

ES: Yeah. You didn’t think I learned the language in school did you? America has a really shitty education system even if I appreciate that it’s supposed to be more lax and forgiving than the Japanese education system

EB: i figured your bro taught you for ironic purposes or because he thought it’d be cool to be honest.

ES: Lol, I can see him doing that. XD But nope, before I could even properly remember my last life I was speaking fluent Japanese as a toddler when I barely even had a grasp on English. Bro was so proud for those reasons though

EB: sorry kagome i’ve got to go the imps are on the attack again

ectoBiologist has ceased pestering electricSunset

On the way back to her room Kagome heard a commotion. A glance around the living room revealed Bro’s copy of Sburb missing. Curious, she looked through the doorway to the kitchen. Dave had gotten the weapons Bro kept in the cupboards and the fridge everywhere and he was buried in a big pile of Bro’s weird yet amusing smuppets. (Amusing if you ignored their role in how Bro made money, then they were gross.) Kagome covered her mouth with a hand to try to bite back a laugh, but you could still hear amusement in her voice.

“Tried to find apple juice in the fridge again, Dave?” Kagome asked rhetorically.

“Shut up, you’d be in this situation if you were out of apple sauce or pocky and you know it.” Dave grumbled.

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Whatever, if you’re the reason Bro’s copy of Sburb is missing you need to hurry up and help Rose, she’s decided the danger isn’t bad enough that she can’t afford to wait for you.”

“I’m working on it, just taking my sweet time. Like kool aid doesn’t have anything on how sweet this is. The kool aid man is stalking my choice ass he’s so jealous. I’m going to need to file for a restraining order he’s so jealous.” Dave rambled.

Kagome was very hard put not to laugh again, Dave was so adorkable and he was all the cuter when he was trying to cover up his embarrassment. “And why did you need to leave your room for that?”

“I may have accidentally killed a crow that tried to steal my copies and they fell out the window.” Dave confessed.

“... Aaannd now you’re stuck being messed with by Bro for the right to use his instead.” Kagome guessed, “I see. Well I’m going to install my copies. When you’re done I’ll be your server player, however that works.”

Once back in her room Kagome noticed that Rose had pestered her again.

tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

TT: By the way, Kagome I forgot to mention. I have written a walkthrough since the currently available ones are sorely lacking. You may want to peruse it before playing. Also I can say from experience that you should be careful because it’s quite easy to destroy thing or block pathways.

tentacleTherapist has ceased pestering electricSunset

ES: Yeah, I noticed that you could hardly even call most of them bare bones. Thanks, Rose. Good luck with Dave as your server player he’s going to be a few minutes because he’s run into a spot of trouble

ES: Unless you change your mind or underestimated how much danger you’re in, then I could do it for you

electricSunset has ceased pestering tentacleTherapist

Kagome was very happy she read Rose’s walkthrough. The game turned out to require some very big equipment. The living room and kitchen could theoretically fit everything but Kagome figured that it was a better bet to use the roof once she was Dave’s server player. It didn’t take long so Kagome worked on an amv for YouTube and practiced piano on her keyboard. Just when Kagome was wondering how much longer she would have to wait on Dave Jade pestered her for the first time since earlier that morning.

gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

GG: kagome, are you excited about this game? :-)

ES: Yeah, it should be really interesting

ES: Especially once you can explain some of the things you keep alluding to; and how you can know the things you do without being some sort of psychic

GG: hm, that might be complicated. so ill just have to so you. itll be really fun. :D

ES: I look forward to it

GG: ive got to leave my house to take care of something first, but i’m really excited. :-)

ES: I can see that. Don’t let that dog of yours interfere more than he needs to to keep you safe though okay

GG: it’ll be hard because bec can be so rambunctious but i think i can manage to do that. ;-)

Just then Kagome heard a knock on her door.

ES: I have faith in you Jade. Anyway I’ve got to go I think Dave might want something

electricSunset has ceased pestering gardenGnostic

“Come in!” Kagome called.

Just as predicted, it was Dave. “Okay, so Ms. Anything-Weird-Is-Possible, any tips for me? Or any idea how it’ll work once you’re my server player?”

“Try to keep the equipment close.” Kagome said, “And if you have limited space to work with or just decide the most convenient place has something in the way try to keep property damage to a minimum.”

“Okay...” Dave drawled, “What about when I’m the client player?”

“I’m guessing it will be different because we live in the same place.” Kagome admitted, “But I can say speed is key. Also we’ll need to keep in touch on Pesterchum.”

“Okay, Thanks. So I’m going to go save Rose now. I hope she’s not mad at me or something.” Dave said, leaving the room.

Kagome chuckled. Her brothers never really changed much. While she waited she surfed the internet. John also told her as much as he coherently could about what was apparently ‘his planet’ which was inhabited by sentient yellow lizards, and ‘his daughter Casey’. In between exuberant questions about her old life and Japan, that was. Apparently, he informed her, the trolls had just as many mixed feelings about reincarnation as humans. They also had a region like a troll Japan only it didn’t have its own government because the entire planet was led by an empress. Kagome wasn’t sure how she felt about the ‘conquer other worlds’ thing but the trolls’ planet and culture sounded interesting and she appreciated how it was apparently a matriarchy. Finally Dave pestered her, ready to start playing.

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

TG: okay so lets do this

TG: i can already tell that this will be the craziest shit

ES: Crazy, yes, but I doubt it’ll be anything we can’t handle and I doubt any of it will surprise me more than Bro’s story about our parents

TG: does this have to do with the weird things you say and do that you say explains why youve practically always been able to speak japanese

TG: because ive been bugging you to explain that shit for like fucking ever but you only say nobody would believe you

ES: Well if you’ve got a mind as open to weird things as John then you’ll finally get your wish soon. It’s actually really surprising how well he took it

TG: what you told my best bro but not me

TG: thats not fair

TG: isn’t there like a rule or something about this sort of thing?

ES: You’ll just have to deal with it and be patient for a little longer it’s not my fault you took so long to agree to play ;-p

ES: Anyway I can see you now you’ll need to get to the roof again

TG: why

ES: I’m placing everything there

ES: Unless you want something to clutter up your messy room? I’ll warn you now it’d be hard not to break anything

TG: lets make it interesting if you put everything in one spot you’ll make this too easy

ES: It’s your funeral

Kagome placed the Alchemiter, the Punch Designix, and the Totem Lathe on the roof just as promised. But after that she decided to deploy the Cruxtruder in his room. When the wires blocked it Kagome moved his bed, which she accidentally dropped onto said wires. That was when she noticed that her door and window were gone.

ES: Dave my door and window are gone

TG: what do you think this is game shenanigans

ES: Obviously. This must be how they bring one player in when two of them live in the same place

TG: that makes sense

ES: Also I’ve deployed everything so it’s all on you now.

TG: okay so what now

TG: this is a stupid spot for that thing

TG: also how am i supposed to get out of my room

ES: Oh, grow up. You asked to do it the hard way, at least I didn’t put the bed on the roof or in the living room out of spite.

TG: yeah i guess i sort of put my foot in it there

TG: what do i do though rose couldn’t open that thing until i dropped something stupidly heavy on it

ES: hold on

Kagome moved the blue device connected to his turntables onto the impromptu table said turntables were on, which moved the entire thing to the right. Then she took a cinderblock and dropped it onto the top of the Cruxtruder to open it. Once that was done she deployed the punch card. While he was busy with the Totem Lathe and Alchemiter to get himself into the Medium Kagome searched for something to prototype. She was tempted to use a smupptet, but then she noticed that the crow Dave accidentally killed hadn’t fallen all the way to the ground. She picked it up and dropped it into the kernel sprite as Dave was leaving the room.

TG: what no kagome why did you prototype that thing

ES: Well it was that or a smuppet. Besides you’ve got to admit that you have an affinity for birds if they didn’t feel safe you wouldn’t find so many in your room all the time. You’re lucky that they fled when I started moving my bed or I’d have crushed them when I dropped it by accident

TG: what

TG: your living room threat was your plan all along wasn’t it

TG: that or the hallway

ES: Meh, this is better anyway

As it turned out, the pre punched card rendered an egg. Before Dave could decide what he was supposed to do his sprite stole it and retreated to the top of the radio tower on top of the entrance to the roof. Kagome watched with tense breath as the closer Dave got to the top the clearer a gigantic meteor became clearer. He was almost at the top when he fell the very moment the meteor was close enough to see just how huge it actually was. Kagome gasped, only to let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding when Bro’s flying skateboard saved Dave and Bro himself somehow managed to slice the meteor in half, the momentum sending each half far, far away from the apartment building. Thanks to Bro Dave was safe now. But Kagome didn’t know how long the same could be said of her. As her door and window reappeared, Jade started pestering her.

End of Chapter


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome finally starts playing the game. Plus there's something of a reunion.

Chapter Two:

gardenGnostic [GG] began pestering electricSunset [ES]

GG: kagome hows the game going?

ES: Dave barely got in but now it’s my turn. You were playing too right

ES: Can you be my server player? Then again I remember Dave or Rose saying that you don’t have a copy. Do I have to get John to do it

GG: no that wont be necessary. i finally have a copy. ^_^

ES: That’s cool. So, rule one is leave the bathroom alone. Rule two is don’t make holes in the floor, ceiling, or wall. Rule three is don’t throw things you have to move out of the building.

GG: okay, i can work with that. you have a nice clean room, its nice and spacious even though its kind of small. your shades arent what i expected though.

ES: They were my birthday from John. He tried to find shades like Vash the Stampede from Trigun but he figured that these are better since the lenses on these are my favorite color

GG: i dont play many videogames but hopefully this will be easy

ES: Let’s move Bro’s futon first without throwing it out of the building or on the roof

GG: actually, i don’t know why but i cant even see the roof of your apartment building. :-(

ES: ... That would explain how the game manipulates things when two players live in the same residence, I guess. Maybe this will duplicate the apartment building

ES: If not it’d be funny if Dave only got the roof and his room and I got the bathroom, living room, and kitchen though. Speaking of the kitchen it’s the perfect place to put something. How about the Cruxtruder in the kitchen and the Alchemiter in the living room?

GG: thats a great idea! :D

Kagome managed to move the futon without needing Jade’s help. Once that was done Jade did as suggested.

ES: Okay, I don’t think there’s much more you need to do. I’m just going to grab something to prototype before I open the Cruxtruder.

GG: what about one of your bros smuppets?

ES: Ew, no. You have no idea why he makes so many of them do you

GG: no, i dont. why?

ES: Never mind, Dave and I shouldn’t have even known as young as we did.

Just then, Kagome spotted something. It was a featureless puppet wearing a yellow sweatshirt and black pants. There was a yellow ribbon around its neck tied into a bow in the back the way some people tied ribbons around dogs’ or cats’ necks when the animal was a present or the person was trying to make it cuter. Once she got to the Alchemiter in the kitchen, Kagome pounced on it, and the rebound threw her into the living room. She could see that she had five minutes. Jade promptly deployed the pre punched card as Kagome tossed the puppet into her kernel sprite. 

Kagome gathered the card, a cruxite dowel, and flash stepped to her room. Before long she had the totem and she flash stepped back into the living room. Kagome nervously checked the clock. Two minutes and twenty eight seconds left. Finally her item was finished. It was a... cube shaped object. Judging by vague outlines on the top it seemed to be a box. Kagome retrieved one of her shuriken and sliced it open. Suddenly the trap door was back.

GG: youre in! all thats left is for me to wait for john to retrieve his other disk so he can be my server player.

ES: Let me know how that goes I’m going to experiment with the Alchemiter before I explore

GG: wait before you do heres some upgrades.

ES: Thank, but first can you move everything up to the roof while I fix the couch and stock up on Bro’s swords?

GG: of course! i’ll get to work.

gardenGnostic has ceased pestering electricSunset

The moment Kagome had the couch fixed her sprite started to bug her. 

“Oh, do you want another prototype?” Kagome asked.

It only moved wildly but Kagome figured that it meant yes. She stroked her chin as she thought. Then she brought up Rose’s walkthrough on her phone. According to the section on sprites, John’s nana and Rose’s beloved cat Jaspers had been revived. Kagome grinned; she had the perfect thing in mind.

“Come on, I know just the thing!” she urged.

The sprite followed her into her room. Once there she climbed up the ladder to her bed. She reached for the object- one of the very few non smuppet Bro had ever used his sewing skills on. When Kagome was younger and still confused about her memories from her life as Kagome Higurashi she would draw people and scenes she remembered to try to set herself straight. She kept at drawing at Dave’s urging that she at least actually hone her drawing skills to ‘increase the irony’. After Bro noticed that she kept drawing two figures in particular- Shippo and Kirara- he made her plushies of them. She was tempted to pick Kirara but Rose already had a cat for a sprite. So she prototyped her Shippo plushie.

The moment Shipposprite was properly formed and settled he blinked. Kagome took the time to study him. He was completely yellow, though not entirely one shade of yellow. The part of the sprite where the pants would’ve been were a far darker yellow than the sweatshirt. Otherwise it looked exactly like a yellow, ghostly version of the fox demon boy- kitsune, to use the proper Japanese term- she had viewed as a little brother.

Shipposprite grinned at Kagome. “This is weird, but it’s so cool! I don’t know how this was possible when I was formed from a doll but I even have Shippo’s memories! I don’t remember anything after the two of you separated but he missed you a whole lot.”

Kagome’s eyes got watery. “I’ve missed you too ever since I remembered, Shippo.”

Shipposprite hugged Kagome, proving to only be a little bigger than the actual Shippo had been. “Aw, don’t cry! Anyway I have some things I should let you know about.”

“Like what?” Kagome prompted.

“I’m supposed to be mysterious or use riddles but the actual Shippo was too blunt for that so I’ll be straight with you.” Shipposprite assured her, “First off don’t worry about Earth too much, it would’ve been the apocalypse no matter what. Secondly you’re the Knight of Blaze but the entire point is for you to figure out what that means yourself. Most importantly is your quest- the temperature is totally out of sync on your planet.”

“Out of sync?” Kagome encouraged Shipposprite to elaborate.

“Well, some places are way colder than they should be and some are a match for the hottest desert on Earth.” Shipposprite elaborated, “There are crystals on your planet that act as power sources and temperature regulators.”

“Wait, then wouldn’t there also be a blackout?” Kagome asked.

“Not completely. You’ll see what I mean.” Shippo replied.

With that Kagome made use of the Alchemiter. She combined a lighter Bro kept for ironic purposes with a shuriken. The result was a shuriken variation of a flaming arrow. Kagome took a lightsaber replica and when combined with the lighter got the Torch Saber, which worked like a light saber but with purple fire instead of plasma. Then she took a water pistol from her watergunkind strife specibus and gained a Mini Fire Shooter. This turned that particular strife specibus into a firekind. She put the saber and gun into it then combined the bigger water gun that the change had ejected with a lighter and wasabi for the Red Hot Spice Gun. Grinning, Kagome then proceeded to make a gunblade ala Final Fantasy after some trial and error. Out of curiosity she combined a kunai with a spool of thread Bro left lying around from the last time he worked on the smuppets. Grinning, Kagome proceeded to make beefed up versions of all of her other weapons.

Then Kagome retrieved Bro’s Snoop Dog Snow Cone machine. After repeated failures in getting anything interesting she wound up prototyping it so much it now turned out random items, excluding snow cones. Trying out gained her manga, a grappling gun, a picture of Orihime and Ulquiorra from Bleach, a fake Pokeball, a Wizardmon figurine, a yellow diamond, a shirt just like the one Steven Universe wore, versions of Amnesia Later and Amnesia Crowd that were somehow in English, and a Joker no Kuni no Alice poster. Combining her Ukyou plushie with her black sweatshirt and the yellow diamond got a black trench coat a yellow diamond pattern on the collar and cuffs of her sleeves called Sunshine Memories. Combining the coat with her clothes got a yellow suit with a black version of the butterfly symbol from her shirt called the Lemonade Suit. Combining her clothes with the Kuni no Alice poster, the yellow diamond, and the lighter got a yellow Lolita dress with black tights called Alice in the Land of Flames. Dave’s Mightnight Crew poster combined with her clothes got her a black suit with the yellow butterfly from her shirt on it, only that skirt was more restrictive than the one she was wearing. 

Kagome returned to her room. Raiding her room elicted a few more items which created a collapsible suitcase. She combined this with her mini fridge and succeeded in creating something akin to Jade’s lunchtop. She put the Fridge Case in her sylladex after duplicating everything inside the mini fridge to fill it up then put her mini fridge into a separate card. Once that was done Kagome duplicated the snacks from her trunk then put that into her sylladex. After changing into the Lolita dress and trench coat Kagome put the other clothes and her normal wardrobe into the collapsible suitcase and stowed the suitcase in her sylladex. Then she combined her phone with her earrings to create a headset and combined her shades with her phone. She just started to head back to her room when suddenly imps attacked her.

Kagome brought out her Diamond Blaze Scythe from her polearmkind strife specibus. She had never been happier that Bro encourage how she favored scythes, naginatas, and spears. It took barely any time at all before the roof was clear. She went back inside, and cleared house there next. After creating more items and keeping everything stored she made dozens of new blank cards. Kagome then proceeded to update her notes on the things that had happened and her notes on the game. Then she proceeded to note down everything’s code, even the big furniture such as her bed and Bro’s futon. The TV, movies, gaming systems, and videogames then went into her sylladex.

electricSunset [ES] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

ES: John I want the card codes for everything in your house. Even the things that seem useless or undesirable

EB: um sure but why?

ES: I take notes on everything. As we speak I’m creating a list of every single code I can find. Once I get a hold of the others I’ll ask the same of them

EB: okay that sounds like a good idea. but uh the imps really made a mess of my house

ES: Oh they were easy for me. Pretty much just free grist, really

EB: let me know if you need any help with the code thing

ES: Thanks, I’ll do that

ES: Wait actually take codes of anything that would come in handy that you come across outside your house too. Hm, maybe I should see if Rose wants the code list on her walkthrough

EB: i can see you’re busy i’ll let you get to it.

ES: Thanks John, be careful out there okay

EB: i will.

electricSunset has ceased pestering ectoBiologist

tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering electricSunset

TT: I see that you have entered the Medium.

ES: Yeah taking out these imps is easy. It makes for a fun workout too.

TT: Yes, even the bigger ones rely mainly on brute force. If that isn’t an issue for their opponents they are child’s play.

ES: Anyway it’s great that you’re messaging me. I want the code for everything in your house and sylladex and everything useful you find elsewhere

TT: Very well, this is a wise course of action and I will assist you when able.

ES: Busy are you

TT: Yes the memories from Davesprite’s timeline have given me some alarming information about the game we’re playing.

ES: Wait what. Did Dave prototype himself while I wasn’t looking?! And what information

TT: The game is supposed to create a new universe but that isn’t going to happen with the state of our session as it is. And your brother is fine, Davesprite is a Dave from the same doomed timeline I’ve gotten part of my information from.

ES: Dave has some explaining to do

electricSunset has ceased pestering tentacleTherapist

electricSunset [ES] began pestering TurntechGodhead [TG]

ES: Dave, you have some explaining to do. What’s this about a ‘Davesprite’ and ‘doomed timelines’

TG: its fine sis doomed timelines are just any timelines that aren’t the main or ‘alpha’ timeline

TG: whether because something went wrong, something that shouldve happened didnt or something happened that shouldnt have happened

TG: see apparently i’m the knight of time

TG: yeah we are and in my timeline the troll girl called terezi got john killed before he could save jade from the meteor headed towards her so you me and rose were stuck for months

TG: it was hella hard to get john to listen to me and not skip steps like diamonds are fragile as glass john was so stubborn you could break a rock if you threw one at it or him whatever

ES: Well as long as you’re okay. Hey can both of you please send me every code you have or come across for my notes

TG: yeah here you did that in my timeline too

TG: sure sis i got you back

TG: like im watching your back so avidly timers break trying to keep track humpty dumpty was easy to fix this shit is so broken the timers wife and children are dressed all in black and wailing like banshees

ES: Heh heh, you’re silly. XD Anyway how’s your planet

TG: the land of heat and clockwork there are like entire oceans of lava plus theres like giant gears that sort of serve as islands or something idk

TG: anyway ive got to deal with a troll now so ill talk to you later

turnchechGodhead has ceased pestering electricSunset

Five minutes later Kagome was done. Before she could do anything, she was trolled.

carcinoGenetecist [CG] began trolling electricSunset

CG: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU EVEN DOING, YOU’RE JUST SITTING THERE FUCKING AROUND ON YOUR HUSKTOP. DO YOU EVEN TAKE THIS SHIT SERIOUSLY AT ALL?

ES: Oh, back off CG. For your information I’m putting together notes on the game with help from Rose’s walkthrough and making a list of every captcha code I can get a hold of

ES: On that note would you please gather every code you can get whether it belongs to you and your friends or not? The list wouldn’t be complete without it

ES: Also getting my hands on genuine alien tech would be so cool, I’d love to see what I can do with it

CG: ... THAT ACTUALLY MAKES SOME FUCKING SENSE. AT LEAST YOU’RE NOT AS THINK SPONGE BRUISINGLY AWFUL OR CONFUSING AS YOUR DOUCHE OF A BROTHER.

ES: Can you please give Dave a break? :-( If not for my unique circumstances I’d probably be awkward too or even a little messed up due to our being raised by an ironic cool guy with such an eccentric idea on what counts as raising kids that he didn’t even bother teaching us what a refrigerator is actually used for

ES: Not that I’m complaining or anything. Bro was ridiculous and went overboard but he still cares and I love him. I think he did pretty well considering our parents died he should have been striking out on his own but he had to put his life on hold to take care of us

CG: WHAT UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU FUCKING TALKING ABOUT?

ES: I remember my last life. I was Japanese and I’m pretty sure I lived in a completely different universe because I’m pretty sure humans are the only sentient life on this version of Earth

ES: Also from what I’ve seen online on the Earth I just escaped time travel was more likely to be the result of technology than a well that was probably magical

CG: YEAH, I’M CALLING BULLSHIT. DO YOU REALLY EXPECT ME TO BE SO FUCKING GULLIBLE I BUY THAT TRIPE? YOU COULD DROWN A WHOLE HERD OF HOOF BEASTS WITH ALL OF THE FUCKS I DON’T GIVE IT’S A FUCKING EPIDEMIC. THE MEDICIANS AND MORTICIANS ALL DIED OF OLD AGE IT TOOK SO LONG TO SORT THAT SHIT OUT. WHICH IS A BIG FUCKING DEAL FOR TROLLS BECAUSE THE ONLY REAL LIFE EXPECTENCIES ANY LEVEL OF THE BLOOD CASTES HAVE ARE BECAUSE OF HOW LIKELY TO BE MURDERED OR BECAUSE OF SHITTY LIVING CONDITIONS. LIKE I DON’T KNOW IF HISTORY HAS EVER RECORDED A TROLL WHO DIED TO ANY REASON OTHER THAN MURDER, A SHITTY ACCIDENT, OR DISEASE.

ES: Are you really saying that an alien who either has played or is playing a game that’s meant to create universes is doubting something like reincarnation

CG: OKAY SOME MAYBE IT’S MORE LIKELY THAN ANCESTORS BEING REAL BUT I STILL DON’T THINK IT’S FUCKING LIKELY.

ES: What’s that about ancestors? Do trolls believe that baby trolls either pop into existence out of nothing or are made from magic

CG: NO, OF FUCKING COURSE NOT. SHIT LIKE THAT ONLY GETS TOLD TO PUPAS TOO YOUNG FOR TELLING THEM ABOUT BUCKETS AND DRONES TO BE APPROPIATE.

ES: I’m not even going to ask what cleaning devices have to do with sex and reproduction or what troll drones are that they’re involved. Would you be willing to tell me what the deal with ancestors then

CG: DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST IMPLY HUMANS USE BUCKETS TO FUCKING CLEAN?! YOU’RE SPECIES IS MORE STUPID AND FUCKED UP THAN I THOUGHT. AS FOR YOU QUESTION I SUPPOSE I WILL BE GENEROUS JUST THIS ONCE IN THE FACE OF YOUR ATTEMPT TO BE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE.

CG: HIGH BLOODS AND GULLIBLE LOW AND MID BLOODS BELIEVE THAT EACH TROLL HAS AN OLDER TROLL WHO WOULD’VE PROBABLY DIED CENTURIES OR MILLENIA AGO UNLESS THEY’RE A SEA DWELLER THAT THEY’RE MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO GENETICALLY, THESE RELATIONS ARE CALLED ANCESTORS. NOW THIS CRAP ACTUALLY MAKES AN IOTA OF SENSE EVEN THOUGH I DONT’ REALLY BELIEVE IT. THE REAL BULLSHIT IS THAT THE MORE ZEALOUS OF THE TROLLS WHO BUY THIS NONSENSE, ALMOST ALWAYS HIGH BLOODS, BELIEVE THAT THEIR ANCESTOR LEFT A LEGACY FOR THEM TO FIND AND THAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW IN THEIR ANCESTOR’S FOOTSTEPS, FINISH THEIR WORK, OR LEARN FROM THEIR ANCESTOR’S MISTAKES AND DO BETTER THAN THEM.

ES: Wait, do trolls reproduce asexually or through cloning? Because the only other method I can think of would mean that they reproduce like bees and ants. Also does this mean that all trolls adopt instead of raising their own young or do these sea dwellers you mentioned raise their own young while other trolls adopt

CG: WAIT WHAT. NO THAT’S NOT REMOTELY HOW IT FUCKING WORKS THE GENETIC MATERIAL GETS MIXED BY THE MOTHER GRUB DOUCHE NOZZLE. CENTURIES OR MILLENIA LATER- IT VARIES- A WRIGGLER HATCHES. ALSO WHY WOULD TROLLS BE RAISED BY OTHER TROLLS? HOW DO HUMANS EVEN FUCKING WORK WHERE YOU THINK THAT WOULD EVEN REMOTELY BE A THING?

ES: Well, did your planet have mammals? Because humans give live birth and unless they die, can’t take care of the child, don’t want the child, or get separated from the child they raise their young.

CG: WAIT SO HUMANS WORK LIKE HOOF BEASTS AND PAW BEASTS?

ES: If by ‘hoof beast’ you mean creatures like what humans call cows and horses and ‘paw beast’ means something like cats, dogs, or other types of felines or canines then yes. ... By the way this is a ‘curiosity killed the cat’ moment but if trolls reproduce that way is sex even a thing

CG: WE ARE NOT HAVING THIS FUCKING CONVERSATION. IT’S BAD ENOUGH THE EMPRESS MADE CONTRIBUTION TO THE MOTHER GRUB’S SLURRY SO MUCH WORSE THAN IT ALREADY IS.

ES: That’s more than enough of an answer, trust me. Instead could you tell me how romance works for trolls

CG: YOU’RE FUCKING LUCKY YOU CAME TO THE RIGHT PERSON. I MAY NOT BE INTO THAT SHIPPING BULLCRAP BUT I’M THE RESIDENT ROMANCE EXPERT. WELL FOR ON THING WE HAVE QUADRANTS INSTEAD OF LIMITING OURSELVES TO ONE TYPE OF ROMANCE LIKE A BRAIN DEAD NUT BEAST. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS WE PAIR UP THE QUADRANTS. ONE IS BY PURPOSE, THE OTHER IS BY THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS. IT’LL BE EASIER IF YOU HAVE A VISUAL SO HERE.

carcinoGenetecist has sent quadrantgrid.jpg

CG: SO THE FIRST DIVISION IS RED ROMANCE ON THE TOP AND BLACK ROMANCE ON THE BOTTOM. THE CLOSEST TRANSLATION FOR THE DRIVING FACTOR BEHIND RED ROMANCE HUMANS CAN UNDERSTAND IS PITY. THE BOTTOM IS BLACK ROMANCE, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY HATE. THEN ON THE LEFT YOU HAVE THE CONCUPISCIENT QUADRANTS. THESE ARE FOR REPRODUCTION. ON THE RIGHT ARE THE CONCILIATORY QUADRANTS, THESE ARE FOR PACIFICATION. THE FLUSHED QUADRANT AT THE TOP LEFT IS THE CLOSEST TO HUMAN ROMANCE, A PAIR INVOLVED IN THE FLUSHED QUADRANTS ARE CALLED MATESPRITS. ITS BLACK COUNTERPART IN THE BOTTOM LEFT IS THE PITCH QUADRANT, THE PERSON IN YOUR PITCH QUADRANT IS CALLED YOUR KISSMESIS. 

CG: YOUR KISSMESIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RIVAL OR PERSON YOU JUST DON’T GET ALONG WITH, BUT IT’S MORE COMPLICATED THAN BEING ATTRACTED TO SOMEONE YOU HATE. THAT WOULD BE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER, YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO WANT TO KILL OR MAIM YOUR KISSMESIS. IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE AN ‘I CAN’T STAND YOU BUT’ OR ‘YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY IN THE WORST WAY BUT’ SCENARIO. YOU LIKE SCREWING WITH YOUR KISSMESIS BUT YOU DON’T LIKE SEEING OTHER PEOPLE SCREW WITH YOUR KISSMESIS OR HURT THEM.

CG: THE ASHEN QUADRANT ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS CONTRADICTORY IN THAT IT’S BOTH THE SIMPLEST TO EXPLAIN AND THE MOST COMPLICATED TO ACTUALLY WORK OUT. AN AUSPISTICE IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE TWO PEOPLE IN A VOLATILE RELATIONSHIP THAT HATE EACH OTHER AND MEDIATE SO THAT THEY DON’T ACTUALLY ENTER THE PITCH QUADRANT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

CG: THE LAST QUADRANT, THE RED CONCILLIATORY ONE, IS THE PALE QUADRANT. THE PURPOSE OF MOIRAILS IS PACIFICATION AND PROTECTION, THIS IS PROBABLY MORE OF A ‘SOCIAL CONSTRUCT’ SIDE TO MOIRAILLEIGANCE. TROLLS ARE A VIOLENT RACE AFTER ALL, AND THE HIGHER ON THE HEMOSPECTRUM YOU ARE GENERALLY THE MORE PRONE TO PSYCHOSIS YOU’RE LIABLE TO BE. IF A TROLL IS A DANGER EITHER TO OTHERS OR THEMSELVES, OR THEY’RE JUST PRONE TO RAMPAGING FITS, THEIR MOIRAIL IS SUPPOSED TO CALM AND PACIFY THEM. BUT WHAT PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE IS THAT THERE’S MORE TO MOIRAILLEIGANCE THAN THAT. THE PALE QUADRANT IS ABOUT BALANCE. MOIRAILS HELP EACH OTHER KEEP CALM AND SORT OUT THEIR EMOTIONS. MOST MOIRAILS TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING, EVEN THINGS THEY LITERALLY WOULDN’T EVER TELL ANY OTHER TROLL. TO PUT IT IN TERMS HUMANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERSTAND MOIRAILS ARE KIND OF LIKE PLATONIC SOULMATES.

CG: BUT PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS CHANGE OVER TIME, AND SOMETIMES THEIR QUADRANTS CHANGE TO REFLECT THAT. LESS BALANCED QUADRANTS SOMETIMES VACCILLATE. THE MOST COMMON IS BETWEEN FLUSHED AND PITCH, BUT IT’S NOT TOO UNHEARD OF MOIRAILS IN A PALE QUADRANT THAT LOST OR NEVER HAD THE PACIFICATION AND CALMING ASPECT TO BECOME MATESPRITS. LIKEWISE ONCE IN A WHILE MATESPRITS DECIDE THEY’RE JUST NOT ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER AND FLIP TO PALE.

ES: I think I understand. Don’t let the others tell you humans aren’t capable of quadrants, in my last life the relationship I had that was closest to becoming romantic started out with pitch leanings. Then after I got closer to him and started to develop flushed feelings his ex came into the picture. The thing is in his opinion I looked just like her and he never lost his flushed feelings for her, I was only an inferior copy to him when he acted like he might feel the same

ES: To complicate things even further, a misunderstanding pitted them against each other and she pretty much hated him. Even though it was cleared up she flipped between loving him and hating him, she would kiss him one minute then try to drag him to hell with her the next. I didn’t understand it then, but I guess she kept vacillating between pitch and flushed

ES: To be honest, CG, I probably.... Well, it sounds like I may have vacillated between flushed and pale. But that’s not very weird, because people acted like the makings for a pitch relationship were perfectly acceptable aspects of a flushed relationship which honestly I learned from that bit of drama is a recipe for disaster. Those aren’t the norm though; usually the ideal matches a mix between flushed and pale

CG: ... HUMAN ROMANCE SOUNDS CRAZY AND HEADACHE INDUCING.

ES: Well, partially thanks to practicality and how society developed on one hand and thanks to the way humans handle emotions and jealousy on the other, the part of the world that had the most global influence developed with the assumption that committed relationships needed to be monogamous to be workable and healthy. But in other parts of the world there were cultures where it used to be perfectly acceptable to have as many wives as they could financially take care of, though only one was a real wife. The others were concubines and purely for the man’s sexual pleasure and to a lesser extent reproductive purposes

ES: It was disgusting and misogynistic, really. Polyamory is perfectly acceptable but not treating women like they’re only sex toys and baby machines

CG: OH MY GOD IF YOU HUMANS USED TO BE THAT MUCH WORSE I JUST MIGHT BE GLAD YOU’RE FUCKING EXTINCT, NO OFFENSE

ES: The other four would be offended or upset anyway but if you operate under the assumption that humans weren’t going to get any better the universe might really be better off without a sentient species that treated things religion and skin color as grounds for genocide. Plus, you know. The whole fact that humans are the only homophobic species

CG: WHAT THE FUCK IS HOMOPHOBIA?

ES: Being disgusted by or outright fearful of those who are sexually and/or romantically attracted to the same sex instead of entering strictly male/female relationships

CG: OH MY GOD THAT IS SO FUCKING MORONIC I CAN’T EVEN COME UP WITH A METAPHOR ANGRY AND EXTREME ENOUGH TO EMPHASIZE MY DISGUST. AND HUMANS ARE STILL TERRIBLE. BUT YOU’RE SMARTER THAN I EXPECTED. AND YOU’RE NOT SO BAD, I GUESS.

ES: Thanks. Hey, since you’re so open to talking about this if we ever meet face to face would you be willing to watch some romance films with me? None of my friends like my romantic movies or anime. Also can I know your name

CG: WELL, AT LEAST ONE OF YOU PINK MONKEYS HAS DECENT TASTE IN MOVIES. YOU’VE GOT YOURSELF A DEAL. ALSO MY FUCKING NAME IS KARKAT, YOU’D BETTER NOT FORGET IT OR MAKE A STUPID NICKNAME.

ES: Okay, I won’t. And I look forward to it Karkat, I hope you like my human movies

CG: NOT FUCKING LIKELY BUT I’LL PUT UP WITH THEM ANYWAY. AND YOU NEED TO GET FUCKING MOVING, IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’VE GOT ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD TO GET SHIT DONE. THERE’S A TIME LIMIT YOU KNOW.

ES: ... Nobody told me about a time limit. Anyway how do I get to my planet in the first place

CG: THE PORTAL ABOVE YOUR HOUSE. IF YOUR SERVER DID THEIR JOB THEY BUILT UP YOUR HIVE SO YOU COULD FUCKING REACH IT.

ES: I’ll figure it out either way

ES: Oh no way forget climbing up a ridiculously high house to reach the portal John sent me a code for a jet pack

ES: Thanks for the advice and cultural lesson Karkat I hope we talk again later. For now I’ve got some alchemizing to do and a planet to explore

electricSunset has ceased pestering carcinoGenetecist

‘Hah, and Bro said I had to wait until I was sixteen to have my own rocket board.’ Kagome internally gloated.

A few minutes after that conversation found Kagome flying up towards the portal Karkat told her about. Kagome noticed that Jade had indeed built up the apartment building. She let out a whistle of appreciation.

electricSunset [ES] began pestering gardenGnostic [GG]

ES: Hey Jade nice architectural work

ES: Let me know when you’ve gotten into the Medium and I’ll figure out how we can meet up

ES: Anyway I’m going to explore my planet now since my place is imp free and I’m done messing around

ES: Get back to me when you’re not asleep or busy

electricSunset has ceased pestering gardenGnostic

Within a couple of minutes Kagome was through the portal and had her first view of her planet. It was a gorgeous mesh of deserts and mesas at night. Only, most of the landscape was varying shades of purple. There were yellow and green crystals everywhere. Red lightning was either striking or flowing between some of them but most of them were either completely free of lightning or the lightning kept fizzling out. There were glowing spots all around Kagome was tempted to investigate, but then she found the perfect starting point. With a nudge to change directions she was zooming towards what she was sure was a village or town.

End of Chapter


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome explores and makes new friends.

Chapter Three

When Kagome reached the outskirts of the town, she landed and walked the rest of the way. Kagome quickly found that the inhabitants were what seemed to be miniature orange dragons. They were just as small as Jaken, only while Jaken was ugly and annoying these creatures were adorable. So far, Kagome was liking the game. She approached a pair that didn’t seem busy.

“This will sound strange but if it’s not too much trouble could you please remind me what this world is called and tell me your local lore?” Kagome asked.

“This is the Land of Lightning and Crystals.” one of them said, “Though the name isn’t very apt right now as you may have noticed.”

“The Denizen has thwarted the lightning to keep His inner sanctum warm as it sleeps.” the other explained, “But without the lightning powering the crystals the weather is all over the place. I even hear some towns down south are suffering from blackouts too.”

“Can’t the crystals be fixed?” Kagome asked.

“Oh heavens no, not by the likes of us.” the first one refuted, “I don’t think it’s even possible to do unless the Denizen wakes up and chooses to put things back the way they should be.”

“But legends say that the Knight of Blaze will melt the hearts of the ice cliffs with the intensity of her fiery emotions and calm the Pools of Steam with her melodic voice and compassion.” the other mentioned.

A smaller dragon came out of the building they were standing in front of and tugged on the arm of the first one. “Mama, they’re sold out of lava rocks.”

“Well we’ll just have to come back another time then.” its mother sighed.

“But I’m hungry now!” it whimpered.

Frowning as the sight pulled at her heart strings, Kagome knelt down and pulled a stray bag of fiery cheetoes that was alone in a card because she found it in the living room. “I don’t have any lava rocks but will these do?”

The little dragon perked up. “Thank you so much miss! Wow, I’ve never seen these before! They’re so colorful and tasty!”

Kagome grinned. “No problem. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Kagome walked around continuing in a similar manner. But she kept getting similar results. She did however get that the game came with powers for each player. Her title was the ‘Knight of Blaze’, something she had mixed feelings about. Sure, she was passionate and she had a ‘fiery’ temper but that was such a small part of it. The smarter ones made it sound like ‘Blaze’ had some form of double meaning outside of just talking about fire but Kagome had absolutely no guesses. Plus, she managed to learn that music was a huge part of LOLAC and the general direction of the nearest part of her planet relevant to her personal quest. She supposed that was enough, the only things to jot down the codes for were all junk the imps had stolen from the apartment. Or from John or Rose. Speaking of, she couldn’t wait to meet them face to face. Maintaining the Strider code and the poker face it required made it almost impossible to have proper friends in a conservative place like Texas.

Kagome had barely been out of the town for five minutes when she was ambushed by three of the bigger imps that were about the size of the oni that were occasionally mixed in with the many youkai she had come across in Feudal Japan. She quickly managed to behead two in a single jump and a double swing. But the last one was being cautious, clearly intending to try to kill her from a distance. Recalling the dragons’ comments about the ‘Knight of Blaze’ and their expectations of what she and her abilities would be like, and Shipposprite’s hint about having powers, Kagome sighed deeply, closed her eyes to focus inward, and took a stance that she hadn’t taken even once in this life, just as a test. There was a blue light forming a familiar type of arc. Then she pulled her right hand back in the release motion. An arrow made of orange flames flew towards the giant imp and went through its eye. It roared in pain, but only the eye had been damaged. That didn’t matter, though. Thanks to Bro and the martial arts lessons she had started too late into her last life for it to be any use in the quest for the jewel shards Jii-chan’s tutoring to keep her from getting hurt by the weapons the shrine housed that nobody could get her to stop playing with were finally paying off. Reaching for her center again, this time she made the motion again and a shuriken made of blue flames flew all the way through its torso right where its heart was. Kagome grinned; it would seem she was close to becoming something of a pyromaniac. Or was finally figuring that little quirk of hers out, not that there was much of a difference either way. Right when she was about to bring out her rocket board again she got a notification she was being pestered- or rather trolled, in that case.

terminallyCapricious [TC] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

TC: DaMn SiS tHoSe MoThErFuCkInG mIrAcLeS wErE bItChTiTs WiCkEd.

TC: hOw DiD yOu Do ThAt ThInG wItH tHe ArRoW wHeN i’Ve NeVeR eVeN uP aNd SeEn YoU mOtHeRfUcKiNg UsE a BoW bEfOrE? iF eQuIbRo Up AnD sAw ThAt He’D pRoBaBlY bE aLl KiNdS oF jEaLoUs.

ES: That would be a very long story one would have to believe in reincarnation to believe that I’m telling the truth

TC: I tHiNk I’vE uP aNd HeArD oF rEiNcArNaTiOn. It MeAnS a MoThErFuCkEr HaS uP aNd LiVeD aT lEaSt OnE mOrE lIfE tHaN jUsT tHe OnE tHaT tHeY’rE uP aNd ExPerIeNcInG aT tHe MoMeNt Or WiLl EvEnTuAlLy Be BoRn AgAiN aFtEr ThEy MoThErFuCkInG dIe RiGhT?

ES: Exactly. Even the humans that say they believe things like that are possible would have trouble believing me if I said something like I could remember my last life though

TC: wElL sHiT, sIs. WhO tHe MoThErFuCk Am I tO mOtHeRfUcKiNg Up AnD dEcIdE wHaT mIrAcLeS aRe Or ArEn’T tRuE? nO mOtHeRfUcKiNg OnE tHaT’s WhO.

TC: MoThErFuCkInG mIrAcLeS aReN’t ThInGs ThAt YoU cAn Up AnD dEcIdE wHeThEr ThEy ExIsT oR nOt BaSeD oN wHeThEr YoU hAvE aNy MoThErFuCkInG pRoOf Or If ThEy’Re CoNvEnIeNt Or NoT.

TC: mIrAcLeS aRe JuSt Up AnD eVeRy MoThErFuCkInG wHeRe WhEtHeR a MoThErFuCkEr BeLiEvEs In ThEm Or NoT. a MoThErFuCkEr’S jUsT uP aNd GoTtA dO oR bElIeVe WhAt ThEiR hEmOpUmP uP aNd TeLlS tHeM tO, yOu KnOw?

TC: So If A sIs uP aNd SaYs ThAt ShE kNoWs MiRaCuLoUs ShIt BeCaUsE sHe Up AnD rEmEmBeRs ThE lAsT lIfE sHe MoThErFuCkInG lIvEd I bElIeVe HeR. ‘sIdEs, I’m PrEtTy MoThErFuCkInG sUrE tHaT tHe MiRtHfUl sCrIpTuRe SaYs SoMeThInG aBoUt ShIt LiKe ThAt.

ES: Scripture? So are you religious? I don’t think any of the other trolls have mentioned things like scripture or subjuggulators

TC: hElL yEaH, sIs. I’m NoT vErY mOtHeRfUcKiNg StRiCt aBoUt WoRsHiP sInCe WiThOuT aNy AdUlTs ThAt WeRe On PlAnEt To Up AnD aSk ThErE’s A lOt I dOn’T mOtHeRfUcKiNg KnOw BuT i’M a FaItHfUl MeMbEr Of ThE cHuRcH oF tHe MiRtHfUl MeSsIaHs.

TC: I dOn’T hAvE a WaY tO bE mOtHeRfUcKiNg SuRe BuT i ThInK tHe TrOlLs ThAt ArE uP aNd sUpPoSsEd To Be My MoThErFuCkInG aNcEsToRs WeRe EvEn ThE hIgH sUbJuGgUlAtOrS.

ES: That’s actually something we have in common. In my last life my family lived on a shrine. My parents and brother weren’t really avid worshippers but my grandfather was even the caretaker of the shrine. If you don’t have something similar it means he kept the shrine, the related buildings, and the grounds the shrine were located on in good condition

ES: I was a teenager before I learned that his stories I had always taken as superstitious variations of his typical crazy talk were actually based off of things that were very real. After those chaotic adventures though I could hardly bring myself to even half heartedly pray, though. It just didn’t feel right to ask for advice or help from beings that weren’t very different from particularly powerful spirits when I had encountered a few of them and my friends and I were forced to either help them out of situations typical beliefs dictated they should’ve been able to handle alone or keep them from harming innocents

ES: It really didn’t help that there were a couple that I either befriended or found turned out to be lackluster compared to my expectations of being like that. I still believed in things like deities and the afterlife, but I just couldn’t really bring myself to worship or pray

TC: nOtHiNg’S wRoNg WiTh ThAt, SiS. sHiT lIkE tHaT iSn’T fOr EvErY mOtHeRfUcKeR. yOu JuSt GoT tO uP aNd Do WhAt FeElS rIgHt.

ES: Honestly, I’m probably better off for it. Humans get really stupid when it comes to religion, there have been multiple wars because there a conflict of belief within one religion in a few cases and then there were the cases where different religions that worship the same god all thought the other religions worshipped that god wrong... Or something like that, I’m not really sure. The most infamous war in history was one where the political group in charge of one country killed millions of men, women, and children just because they were a specific religion the man in charge of said political group didn’t like

TC: WhOa ThOsE hArSh WhImSiEs ArE aLl KiNdS oF uNmIrThFuL. i’M rEaLlY gLaD tHaT tHeRe WaSn’T aNyThInG lIkE tHaT oN aLtErNiA. iT wOuLd Be AwFuL iF sOmE mOtHeRfUcKeR wAnTeD tO uP aNd KiLl My FrIeNdS bEcAuSe ThEy Up AnD bElIeVe SoMeThInG dIfFeReNt. :o(

ES: Yeah I’m in agreement there... The Japanese did some really screwed up things too but at least that was just national pride exaggerated into arrogance and attempt at conquest instead of hatred and discrimination. Honestly so far I’m liking how you sound like true to your faith without prioritizing it above your friends

ES: You would not BELIEVE the bullshit zealots think is okay to pull on others just because their religion disagrees with it

TC: tHe HiGh SuBjUgGuLaToRs DiDn’T hAvE mUcH pAtIeNcE fOr MoThErFuCkErS tHaT wErEn’T pArT oF tHe FaItH bUt At LeAsT tHeY dIdN’t CuLl MoThErFuCkErS tHaT nEvEr Up AnD fUcKeD wItH tHeM oR tHeIr QuAdRaNtS mOsT oF tHe TiMe. FuCk I’m MoRe LiKeLy To GeT mY rAgE oN aT a MoThErFuCkEr FoR tRyInG tO hUrT kArBrO tHaN bEcAuSe ThEy DiDn’T mOtHeRfUcKiNg LiKe My ReLiGiOn.

ES: Heh, you’re weird. But so far I think we’ll get along pretty well

TC: HoNk :o)

electricSunset has ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

After collecting the grist, Kagome jumped onto her rocket board and was speeding off. It didn’t take long until she came across a noteworthy location. One of the cliffs typical to mesas was interspersed with the crystals. One particular cluster of crystals was emitting red sparks, indicating that the lightning essential to powering them was stuck. The cliff was a range of bright blues and that peculiar shade that always seemed to vary in whether it appeared to be blue, purple, or blue violet; however there were spots where a color that was definitely blue violet showed through. The most peculiar thing, though, was that Kagome realized that it was cold to the touch, far colder than the actual temperature or weather could explain. And the bluer the spot she checked the colder the stone face of the mesa got. It didn’t take a genius to guess that this was one of the spots where Kagome was supposed to attempt to sort out the power problem as a personal quest.

Knowing that someone would pester her if she was needed for something of a more far reaching importance, Kagome explored the mesa and more particularly the cliff face. Right above the crystal cluster was a strange pictographic writing system Kagome automatically understood- ‘the flow of power changes with the flow of the melody’. Not far off at the bottom of the cliff was a cave. The same writing was about it with the words ‘tune chamber’. Just then Kagome noticed some blue that seemed more natural and briefly shined purple with the light of the trapped lightning’s sparks. There were jade like flowers with luminescent blue stems which either naturally grew or were planted so that when viewed from above or the right ground-level angle they formed musical notes. Recalling how rpgs often worked Kagome took a picture of it. She found another at the top of the mesa and one growing out of the cliff side itself and took pictures of those groups of flowers as well. Then she entered the cave, stowing her rocket board back in her sylladex.

The moment she was back on the ground she was attacked by more imps. Retrieving one of her scythes Kagome made quick work of them, and noticed that the ones that looked different gave different kinds of grist. Once in the cave she found that the inside was totally iced over. Not even the ground was an exception barring almost metallic seeming silver tiles with music notes on them. Trial and error quickly found that stepping on the wrong note would shock you. After figuring thinking things through, Kagome determined which flower notes were the ones she needed based off of which starting tiles had or hadn’t shocked her. There was a lavender colored stone xylophone carved into the wall. Above it were instructions: ‘To activate the crystals’ connection or redirect the power’s flow you follow along to discover the correct melody.’ There were natural yellow stone formations that seemed completely hollow, and upon looking closer beneath the iced over tops was some sort of green liquid. The ice acting like a cover kept fogging up, and Kagome could tell that the steam would’ve hit the xylophone without the ice. After a flaming scythe and fireballs made with her newfound powers didn’t work, she tried the xylophone. After a few minutes of frustration it became apparent that each note would only play when the vat in front of it emitted steam- or would have, given the circumstances. Once she figured out the melody something amazing happened at the same time that she realized the tune didn’t fit either remaining set of notes. The ice started to weaken, and bits of steam weakly hit a couple of the notes. She played the tune two more times on the xylophone without results before she noticed that a compartment of sorts had opened up revealing a blue ocarina. The moment Kagome started messing around with it the cave gave a weak glow. Seeing what was going on, Kagome messed around until she had memorized how playing the note you wanted worked and proceeded to play the tune from the xylophone. The glow immediately began to get stronger, and after she had played the tune three times the echo of the melody multiplied and with a flash the glow and the ice were gone.

Kagome only had a moment to feel triumphant before she got trolled.

twinArmageddons [TA] began trolling electricSunset

TA: KG you know that doiing your per2onal que2t i2 u2ele22 don’t you? Fiiguriing out how to u2e your power2 as the Kniight of Blaze i2 all well and good but even iif you had tiime iit2 poiintle22.

TA: Havent your friiend2 told you that 2e22iion ii2 voiid 2o you cant produce a new uniiver2e even iif Jade breed2 the riight frog and you manage to beat the black queen and the black queen? 

ES: Okay, I’ll bite. First of all, I’ve barely been told what the goal is, nobody bothered talking to me about strategy or what we’d need to do to win if this had been a normal session. I have no idea if any of the others even know, I’ll have to check Rose’s walkthrough and talk to Jade. Does this have to do with why so many of your friends are pissed off at us and troll Jade to the point that she feels harassed? How can our session even effect yours anyway

TA: No, what iim talking about ii2 the natural re2ult of KK’2 iimpatiience and nobody but FF, AA, and maybe KN had an idea of what we were actually 2uppo2ed to be doiing. The b2 that doomed u2 wa2 half John and Jade’2 fault half the re2ult of none of you knowing about a problem that can’t be prevented wiithout doomiing the tiimeliine.

ES: I see. Your friends that get around to talking about why they started trolling us in the first place are really vague, could you please elaborate

TA: The monarch2 of Pro2piit and Der2e have iitem2 that giive them power up2 ba2ed on what the fiir2t iitem2 the player2 prototyped wiith theiir 2priite2 i2. The archagent of Derse got hii2 hand2 on the black queen’2 riing. 

TA: Jade2 pet Fiir2t Guariidiian got prototyped and he ended up omniipotent. Your lot2 iidea of takiing care of hiim cha2ed hiim iinto our 2e22iion at ju2t the riight tiime to prevent u2 from claiimiing our priize

ES: Well, if you have advice on something that won’t either take too long or be a waste of my time I’m all ears

TA: Ii have no iidea what your brother ii2 up to but John2 ju2t 2crewiing around. Ro2e and Jade 2eem to have plan2 though iif you want to help them

ES: If you don’t mind after I check Rose’s walkthrough I’ll ask her and Jade about it

TA: Jade ii2nt iin the mediium yet. And youre tolerable 2o 2iince there’2 nothiing el2e to do on thii2 rock II gue22 II dont miind

electricSunset is an idle chum

Checking Rose’s walkthrough proved useless and alarming. It also disappeared right when Kagome finished reading it. Alarmed, she checked in with Rose. Rose kept the conversation short, and nothing she said reassured Kagome. Quite the contrary, she was now very worried about her friend. Checking in with Jade proved useless too, she was still getting her hands on a copy of the game so that John could save her.

ES: Okay, Rose has officially gone off the deep end. Got any suggestings Sollux

TA: About all IIve got you need to be on your planet for iis a power up. Other than that untiil the other human2 let you iin on theiir plan2 about all there ii2 to do ii2 collect gri2t and to hang out wiith the other2.

ES: Would this be the godtier I’ve heard about? What can you tell me about it

TA: Well besides the obviiou2 powerup iit pretty much just giive2 you condiitiional iimortaliity and magiical pj2. Al2o II don’t thiink human2 get the wiing2 but godtiier2 can fly.

ES: Okay, so what do I do

TA: Hold on a couple of 2econd2. Thii2 ii2 really 2eriiou2, are you 2ure about goiing through wiith iit?

ES: What do you mean

TA: 2hiit, you human2 really don’t know anythiing about the game do you. Don’t an2wer that iit wa2 rhetoriical. To go godtiier you need to fiind your que2t bed... and diie on iit. You wake up iin your dream 2elf’2 body.

TA: Iit2 really morbiid, 2o you can 2ee why iit2 not 2omething to take liightly.

ES: Okay, so tell me which way I need to go from where I am and I’ll head that way

ES: And Sollux? Thank you for being honest. Most people wouldn’t mention it, whether because they feel awkward or guilty or because they don’t want you to change your mind

TA: No problem. And turn half way to your left

ES: So... to kill time what’s your idea of a good time when you’re not playing a not-just-a-game or helping girls with their own session of that game

TA: II watch moviie2 2ometiime2 but mo2stly II wriite code2 and play viideogame2.

ES: Awesome, what do you play

TA: II mo2tly play fiir2t per2on 2hooter2 and pvp game2 but the Fiinal Fanta2y and Kiingdom Heart2 2eriie2 are my per2onal favoriite2.

ES: I like those series too! ^_^ And I totally pwn at Soul Caliber, I can beat anybody when I pick the right character

TA: Pretty biig talk, can you back it up?

ES: You’ll just have to wait and see ;-)

ES: Also I think I’m almost there

TA: Yeah, you dont have much further two go.

ES: One last thing, Sollux... since trolls apparently have more advanced technology you’ll have to teach me some programming tricks when we finally meet face to face okay

TA: 2ure, iit2 a promii2e. And KG? Whatever happen2 wiith thii2 II’m 2orry.

twinArmageddons has ceased trolling electricSunset

ES: You don’t have anything to apologize for though, Sollux

ES: Sollux, you still there

ES: I guess not. I’ll just make sure you’re alright later then

electricSunset [ES] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]

ES: Hey, Dave after I get this power up I’m leaving LOLAC

ES: Do you know where Bro is because I was thinking of looking for him. If you don’t I’ll drop by to check on you

TG: nah sorry i dont have any clue. hes probably doing his own thing

TG: wait shit are you saying youre gonna go godtier

TG: you sure about it cause terezi showed me how and i couldnt go through with it

ES: Yeah, I’m sure. I remember how I died in my last life so it’s no big deal. Honestly I think Sollux was more bothered by the idea than me when he told me how

ES: I’m going to check on the poor guy later, I think I might’ve brought up bad memories :-(

TG: wait whos sollux is he one of the trolls

TG: since when have you been friendly with them

ES: Since before the game. When you give someone pissed off at you the benefit of the doubt and don’t write them off it works wonders, not that many of them bothered trolling me.

ES: The only one I had a problem with was some super formal prejudice prick that types in blue and has a perverted handle. Seriously it’s bad enough that he’s a snob but how can someone with a horse fetish and a handle that makes it obvious be so high and mighty

TG: what are you serious

TG: man some of these trolls are seriously fucked up

ES: Anyway I’m there I’ll let you know how this goes. Be careful and try not to do anything stupid

TG: Kagome wait-

electricSunset has ceased pestering turntechGodhead

TG: dammit kagome

Kagome landed on a stone bed-like platform. It was yellow with a huge symbol that resembled a flame carved into it. She lied down on the Quest Bed- and fell asleep. When she woke up she was in a copy of her room wearing a yellow night gown. Outside everything was the shame shade of yellow... and there were what Kagome could only describe as crystal clouds. She saw things that already happened, things she didn’t understand, and she saw Bro... He was fighting some black being on Dave’s planet LOHAC. Based off of the white chess piece like people on the streets below where she was, Kagome guessed that he was form Derse. Then, she saw the present- her normal body sleeping on a stone bed located at the top of a hill on LOLAC. A black figure in a suite who looked vaguely like the imps approached her sleeping body and shot her through the head. There was a sensation of pain, and blood was blurring her vision. The cloud showed her corpse floating within a pillar of yellow light, then with a flash Kagome was wearing yellow pajamas with the symbol from the quest bed in orange, a yellow cape, and blue sneakers.

‘So this is godtier.’ Kagome mused as she discovered that she still had her sylladex, ‘Let’s see, while I still have some privacy...’

With a little focusing, Kagome shifted back into the nightgown. Taking out her foldable suitcase, she quickly changed into jeans, put on a plain black long sleeved shirt, and then put her favorite butterfly T-shirt she had started the day in back on over it. Then she shifted back into her godtier. Kagome went over to her desk, pulling a mirror out of a drawer. Upon noticing her face and ears were normal and she didn’t even have animal ears, a tail, or wings she pouted. But Kagome didn’t dwell on it for long, instead deciding to check on Dave again before she went looking for John. After all, she was going to meet her new friends face to face no matter what and if there was nothing for her to do she saw no reason to stay where she was. 

electricSunset [ES] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]

ES: Hey, Dave. It went successful and the power up comes with a cool outfit. Well, more like a costume or pajamas really

ES: It comes with a really cool cape. Being the Knight of Blaze should be pretty cool

TG: its good to here youre okay

TG: dont want to lose my sis and end up doing something reckless

TG: itd be as reckless as the trojans bringing the wooden horse inside their city. like shit man theres this giant wooden horse right outside our city lets bring it in the gates. who cares that like two people have warned us it was suspicious

ES: Haha, my ghost would haunt you to keep you in line and you know it XD

ES: You know you and Bro would be helpless in non-strife situations without me

TG: nah man i totally do it on purpose for ironys sake

ES: *rolls eyes* Whatever, Dave. Anyway I’m on my way to LOHAC. I thought I’d catch up with you before finding John, need help with anything

TG: you dont need to do that im good 

TG: terezi has me upheaving lohacs economy. im making myself filthy rich yo like stop the presses and call the local news station theyll even have to cancel the lottery when im through

ES: ... Okay then... I don’t see what getting insane amounts of money in a mostly useless currency will do but that’s your business.

electricSunset has ceased pestering turntechGodhead

Kagome quickly flew out of the window. As she headed to the only planet with a color scheme that matched Dave’s description suddenly there was a sound akin to an explosion or stone shattering behind her. Looking back she saw she had escaped in the nick of time. Prospit’s moon had been reduced to rubble, bits of what she assumed to be stone, earth, and metal falling towards Skaia. Turning back towards her destination, she continued on her way. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get caught up in whatever was happening. On her way to Dave’s planet she pestered John to warn him to expect her.

electricSunset [ES] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB]

ES: Hey, John are you still on your planet? After I’ve checked on Dave I’m going to come see you

EB: oh hey kagome! i’m somewhere really neat, almost everything is white and blue. 

EB: there’s a lot of yellow wreckage from some yellow place though. jade’s dream self died saving me. :(

ES: You mean... Skaia, I think it’s called? Or the battlefield? I’m not sure which term is right

ES: Maybe both. Anyway I’m pretty sure that yellow place that got destroyed was called Prospit... I’d just woken up there maybe half an hour ago. Luckily I was already on my way to LOHAC

EB: lohac?

ES: The Land of Heat and Clockwork, Dave’s planet

EB: oh. anyway it’d be cool to catch up. we can explore this place together

EB: have you seen rose’s planet yet? it was really bright. she was asleep when i got to her house though.

ES: That sounds like fun. It’s probably a good idea, too. From what I hear it has to do with what the final stage of the game should have been if we’d had a normal session

EB: i guess so! rose even asked me to get something called The Tumor for her, i think its some kind of bomb?

ES: ... Oh, yes. Her plan to create a mix between the ‘bad cop’ persona and a rampage to force a solution out of whatever forces are at work. I tried talking to her not that long ago but she was saying some pretty worrying things

EB: i see what you mean, if she keeps it up she’s going to go all grimdark.

ES: Really, John, “grimdark”

EB: well it fits doesn’t it?

ES: *rolls eyes* I guess you’re right. Anyway I’m there, ttyl

electricSunset has ceased pestering ectoBiologist

EB: okay kagome, have fun!

It was time to find Dave. They had some catching up to do. And she should probably make sure he’d eaten something besides Doritos. Knowing him he’d skipped lunch or been too distracted to eat something that was actually more substantial than chips before the game started. She also intended to ask for details on whoever this ‘Terezi’ was.

End of Chapter


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome spends some time with her brother. Then she tries to spend time with her friends in person for the first time. But before she can find John, Rose, or Jade disaster and chaos strike. She also has less control of her temper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took longer. I wasn't sure how to handle the rest of the Beta session. I think I didn't do too badly. At the very least it flows decently and this is probably a better way to pull off what I intend than what I originally planned. I just wish there was something I could've added so that Kagome could contribute to either the Scratch or the creation of the Green Sun.

Chapter Four

When Kagome was almost at Dave’s planet suddenly there was a flash, and Jade was finally through. This was obvious in the way that a fourth planet suddenly appeared. Kagome decided that she may as well check on Jade before tracking down John, though she would save the ‘knight assisting the damsel’ cliche to Dave. Kagome was sure that she would be more useful keeping John on track. He may have been one of her first genuine friends in this life despite having yet to meet in real life but the goof was ridiculously absent minded sometimes. Besides, she was sure there would be plenty of time to hang out with Jade later, it wasn’t like they were about to get tickets for the same destination through different airlines or something similar that was more applicable to the game. Checking on how much mischief her brother was getting into and catching up with him came first.

twinArmageddon [TA] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

TA: Hey, KG. What are you doiing?

ES: I’m going to check in with Dave before I see if John’s on LOWAS

TA: ... As iin youre goiing pretty 2oon? You miight want to see iif iits not two late two find Ro2e on her planet iin2tead.

ES: Do you mean John isn’t there anymore

TA: ... You know what ju2t keep your brother on track or have a party or whatever youre up two. Iif you deciide two be an iidiiot and iignore my adviice ju2t try to keep iit together.

twinArmegeddon has ceased trolling electricSunset

ES: Sollux wait, are you keeping something from me? Sollux! Answer me please

ES: Damn iit. I mean damn it

Shaking her head at how weird that was Kagome continued her journey to find her twin brother. If he was lucky he had an idea where Bro was. Before long she found him just standing around, wearing a suit. He just seemed to be standing around, but the consorts were saying something about money so she figured that it might actually be the local stock exchange.

“Nice clothes, Dave. Didn’t take you for the formal type but the look suits you.” Kagome complimented.

Kagome swore Dave nearly jumped ten feet. “Shit, Kagome! When did you get he- Whoa those are some pretty sweet godtier jammies.”

Kagome giggled. “Thanks. So have you been up to anything besides overthrowing the economy?”

Dave shrugged. “Just time loop shenanigans, I guess a Knight of Time’s work is never done.”

Kagome perked up. “Wait you’re a knight too? That’s pretty cool. I wonder if it’s a twin thing?”

“What are you even supposed to be anyway like a Knight of Flame?” Dave asked.

“Close, I’m the Knight of Blaze.” Kagome corrected, “Do you have your turntables so we can have a jam after we eat if you’re up for it?”

“Hell yeah that would be sweet.” Dave agreed, “What kind of food are we talking here because I’m starving and these nakodiles don’t have anything but this weird stuff I don’t want to touch.”

Kagome shook her head, “You really are hopeless, aren’t you?”

Half an hour later found the twins just sitting around after having composed an impromptu duet that they felt turned out pretty nicely. The whole time they’d been trading notes on their planets and the trolls that had decided to make their progress in the game their business.

“You know, I saw Jade entering on my way here. Do you think she’ll need help?” Kagome asked.

“Nah, she’s pretty tough after growing up alone on an island with nothing but that devil dog of hers for company.” Dave assured, “I gotta take over some things for John, though. From the time loop I found out that he’s not able to or supposed to help after he makes sure she’s safe in the medium. And if she needs it I guess I can keep an eye on her.”

Kagome raised an eyebrow. “What, are you going to try to charm her? I thought you had a thing for John.”

“What no we’re just bros!” Dave protested, “Don’t even joke about that, he’s made it clear he doesn’t swing that way anyway.”

Kagome hugged her twin reassuringly. “Aw, don’t fret. We’re only thirteen; I bet his hormones haven’t even kicked in. Besides, there’s going to be plenty of time to get John to explore or at least think about stuff like that later.”

Dave raised an eyebrow. “We’re teenagers now, shouldn’t he at least have a clue?”

“I’m saying that he could be a late bloomer, or else living in the suburbs probably got him too used to certain stereotypes and expectations.” Kagome elaborated, “Bro’s anime might not be shy about alternative sexuality and genders but non hetero sexuality is still something of a taboo in Japan.”

“That’s what I still don’t get, why do you know so much about Japan and stuff like religion?” Dave asked.

Kagome sighed, and lifted the left side of her shirt slightly. “You know this birth mark?”

“What that starburst that Bro said looks like a scar from a bite to get under your skin? What about it?” Dave asked.

Kagome fixed her shirt. 

“The thing is... it’s not like Bro was wrong. In my last life I was dragged into a well by a centipede demon. I wound up five hundred years in the past. After some shenanigans she found me by a gigantic tree that would come to have huge significance by the time the shrine I grew up on was built. She bit my side, and a magical jewel fell out of where the resulting wound was and onto the ground...” Kagome started, proceeding to tell as brief a version of her old life’s story as possible.

“Shit, that’s just like an anime. It almost makes this shit look sane and understandable.” Dave commented, “No offense but while the ending sucks I’m kind of glad that things happened the way they did, since it means I get you as the coolest sister ever. Did you keep your cool powers?”

Kagome shrugged. “If spirit energy exists in this reality I have normal amounts, at least for now. All I can say is I am not letting myself get mistaken for a priestess or whatever the English word for miko is.”

Dave frowned. “Yeah that bullshit you went through because of that undead chick was so uncool it could make this place look like Antarctica. There’d better not be some human or troll version of that Inutasha dude or he’s in for the strife of a lifetime.”

Kagome hugged him. “At least I have you now, right? That lifetime is nothing but dreamlike memories, the drama with Inuyasha doesn’t bother me. Besides the ‘date your incarnation’s lover’ trope is lame. I’m worth more than a replacement.”

“Damn straight.” Dave agreed, “Anyway this is cool but now I should get back to the apartment so I can be Jade’s second server player.”

Kagome looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Don’t forget to pester me if you find something I need to help with, okay?”

“Sure thing, Sis.” With a fist bump he was off.

The moment Dave was out of sight, Kagome was trolled by Gamzee.

terminallyCapricious [TC] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

TC: HEY, SIS. I’VE GOT A MOTHERFUCKING QUESTION FOR YOU.

TC: youre blasphemous brother won’t treat the insult me made to my faith seriously like it’s more of a motherfucking joke than the one he thinks he pulled.

TC: HOW DO I MAKE A MOTHERFUCKER REPENT?

ES: Whoa, hold on Gamzee. How exactly did Dave insult your faith

TC: he sent me a video of heretical motherfuckers that dare to pretend to be juggalos citing a slam poem making fun of the miracles I up and believed in.

TC: THAT SHIT WON’T MOTHERFUCKING FLY, NOT LIKE I UP AND WOULD’VE LET IT WHEN I WAS AN OBLIVIOUS MOTHERFUCKER SPACING OUT ON SOPOR SLIME.

ES: Wait, is sopor slime some kind of drug or medicine? Gamzee are you saying you’ve been going through withdrawal

ES: How long were you using this slime stuff

TC: nobody up and told me it was motherfucking poison when i was a pupa so i’ve been eating that motherfucking poison as long as i can remember.

TC: AS FOR YOUR QUESTION I HAVE NO MOTHERFUCKING IDEA WHAT A DRUG IS, BUT SOPOR SLIME CLOUDED MY THINKPAN SOMETHING FIERCE AND MADE ME SPACEY AS FUCK.

ES: That would be a yes, I think. Okay, Gamzee, listen to me. You need to find a way to keep calm. The more I talk to trolls the more it sounds like rage effects trolls like it does youkai. Are you willing to take advice

TC: why the fuck not, it’s not like it can hurt to hear a motherfucker out.

ES: If you don’t have something to distract you from your anger or calm yourself down, you need to turn to you friends. Not somebody that would rile you up now that you don’t have something dampening your reactions to negative things

TC: YOU MEAN A MOIRAIL? THAT WOULD BE BETTER THAN UP AND LISTENING TO THESE MOTHERFUCKING VOICES SCREAMING IN MY THINKPAN.

TC: except i don’t have one to up and have a feelings jam with

ES: Okay, I’m sure that Karkat told me about that... The pale quadrant, right? As in the one that deals with balance and pacification. Do you have a pale crush, or someone you just haven’t become official with yet

TC: THAT WOULD BE KARBRO. THE SHOUTY BROTHER’S MY BEST MOTHERFUCKING FRIEND.

TC: only the motherfucker won’t admit that i don’t annoy him as much as he motherfucking likes to pretend. his denial has never stopped him from hearing a brother out even when he claimed what i said was stupid, though.

ES: Okay, this is good. Try to tell him you need help without freaking him out

ES: As for the Dave problem you’ll have to try to make him realize his mistake when you’re sure you won’t blow up in the process

TC: I THINK I’LL UP AND GIVE IT A MOTHERFUCKING SHOT. THANKS, KAGSIS.

ES: No problem, Gamzee. I’m leaving LOHAC now; I’ll talk to you later

electricSunset has ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

Kagome leapt into the air so she could fly to the portals above Dave’s planet to make the trip quicker. On her way there she pestered Jade to check how her entry into the medium went, but she just said something about her sprite and that she was having trouble with an imp before ending the conversation. Though disappointing and confusing, Kagome knew that for most the game would be quite an adjustment. She just hoped that John would be able to hang out or need help. Maybe he would be willing to explore LOLAC with her if he wasn’t busy. Kagome needed to check on Shipposprite anyway. Not knowing which portal she needed, Kagome picked the fifth one since John was the first one through. Instead, she wound up back on LOLAC. Shrugging, Kagome just headed back to the apartment. At the very least she could finish building up Dave’s copy of the apartment building.

“Kagome you’re back!” Shipposprite cheered, immediately latching onto her for a hug.

“Heh, yeah. I meant to go to LOWAS to see if I could find John but I figured that since I’m here I would get back to building up Dave’s version of the apartment.” Kagome said.

“I see... but shouldn’t you have done that already?” Shippo asked.

Kagome shrugged. “I figured it could probably take being bigger, I’m not sure I even made it high enough anyway.”

“I think you have a point, but not for the reason you think if anyone ever even told you a reason.” Shippo confirmed, “Plus, here... This can call on me, at your level you won’t need to come back her to talk to me anymore.”

“Hm... Honestly I think I’d rather just let you go wherever you’d like.” Kagome replied, “Anyway before you head off could you point out which portal here leads to John’s planet?”

“Third portal from the bottom.” Shippo said, “Since I’m not stuck here I’m off! I want to explore.”

After ten minutes of building up Dave’s version of the apartment building and ensuring that Dave would have little choice about cleaning up his room Kagome was off. Bro wasn’t at the apartment or within sight so she had little reason to stick around. When Kagome got to LOWAS, there wasn’t anyone immediately in sight. She picked a random direction... and the moment she came across something more noteworthy than LOWAS’ strange postal system and glowing mushrooms, she regretted coming to LOWAS instead of just pestering John to figuring out where he was... Or maybe that she hadn’t come earlier, maybe she could have done something if she had.

Bro was on the ground, his own katana run through his heart and pinning him to the ground. Almost half of his shirt was stained varying shades of red from his blood, and even more was pooled under him. His hat, shades and Lil’ Cal were even missing. Kagome tried to pull his katana out of his corpse to try and make the sight just the slightest bit less wrong, but it barely gave and she sunk to the ground in a heap when she let go because in her grief she just didn’t have the strength to regain her balance. She grabbed his arm, hugging it to her chest briefly before holding his hand to her cheek with both of her hands as she lost the struggle to hold back her tears.

Finally she lost the battle and let a sob loose. “Why Bro...? This isn’t fair!”

Kagome didn’t know how long she sat there crying, or why she didn’t try anything else so she could lay Bro to rest properly. But she was brought out of her stupor far sooner than she would’ve left it on her own by the familiar ding of Pesterchum.

twinArmageddon [TA] began trolling electricSunset [ES]

TA: KG why are you ju2t siittiing there with a corp2e liike a wriiggler?

TA: Waiit wa2n’t thii2 guy liike a human lu2u2 or 2omethiing? 2hiit 2orry, Iim 2uch an a22hole. Are you goiing to be okay?

ES: I... don’t know. Maybe eventually

ES: I mean in my last life I got over my dad’s death enough to joke about his goofier side after a couple of years. But I had my mom and grandpa there for me, and I had to be strong for my little brother

ES: This is different. Our mom died when Dave and I were babies and our dad either became a workaholic or abandoned us or something. We didn’t have any other family so even though at his age he should’ve been just getting on his own an enjoying independence as a young adult Bro stepped up and raised us all on his

ES: He knew I was different, I know he did. I’ve lost count of how many times he hinted at it. But I never felt like it was a time where I could tell him about the whole reincarnation thing and have him believe me, and now I’ve lost my chance

TA: 2hiit, IIm 2o 2orry. II lo2t Biiclop2dad but he wa2 ba2iically a mon2ter II alway2 had two 2edate 2o he wouldn’t go on a rampage. II mii22 hiim but not haviing two look after hiim wa2 liike a weiight off of my 2houlder2.

ES: Sollux, do you know what happened? You trolls use an instant messenger with a feature that lets you watch us humans right

TA: We can only watch hiim when he2 around one of you player2 but from what liittle II do know iit wa2 the archagent, Jack Noiir.

ES: Where. Is. He. WHERE IS THAT BASTARD NOW

TA: Oh 2hiit KG plea2e don’t lo2e your cool II dont want two 2ee any heroiic or ju2t death2 twoday.

ES: II’m sorry, Sollux but it’s two late for that. I thought I was calming down but knowing that the reason we originally weren’t supposed to be able to salvage our session is the reason I lost my big brother really burns me up. If I find him I will show this Jack character exactly what happens when you play with fire

ES: Besides, there’s nothing ‘just’ or ‘heroic’ about getting killed while trying to get revenge

electricSunset has ceased pestering twinArmageddon

TA: Kagome waiit- oh 2hiit. Fucking hell, II alway2 2ay the wrong thiing iin tiime2 liike thii2.

Kagome took flight and left LOWAS as fast as she could. How would she find him? How would Dave react... Suddenly, she stoped. Dave, her twin brother. She still had him, only... he didn’t know. She tried to pester him so she could find him to relay the news in person, but he didn’t answer. Then she tried Rose again.

electricSunset [ES] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]

ES: Rose, do you know where the archagent that stole the black queen’s ring is

ES: Rose? Rose are you there

TT: I apologize for the delay, Kagome. I have been otherwise preoccupied. It also seems that I owe you an apology on a more important matter.

TT: You and John, as it turns out, were right to worry about the darker and more foolhardy path I had been following.

ES: What happened? You’re okay, right

TT: In a manner of speaking. Using my newly awakening powers as a Seer of Light I’ve been using objects akin to the stereotype for psychics.

TT: With one such object, I discovered that my mother and John’s dad have both been murdered by the very fiend you asked about. In a reckless move, I fell too deeply into the darker magic I’ve been perusing and attempted to fight him.

ES: Did you get hurt? Do I need to come find you to help you or for comfort

TT: It’s a bit of a moot point, really. I lost, and he killed me. But it doesn’t matter because John revived me through my dream self. I really cannot allow you to make the same mistake as me, so forgive me if I deprive you of the knowledge you seek for your own protection

ES: Oh Rose, all of that is just awful. Talk about one hell of a way to douse the flames of my temper. :-( You didn’t answer me, though- do you need me to come find you? Or at least to help you with whatever the current plan is

TT: I appreciate the offers, but for the moment I prefer my solitude and John and Dave have my part of our plans covered. But I do have an idea that could be worth persuing if you feel up to the task.

ES: Well, unless Jade asks for my help I don’t have anything to do besides going back to my quest on LOLAC. So I may as well give it a shot; if it’s a challenge I may be able to burn up this excess rage constructively

TT: Very well, then. Go through your seventh gate for an audience with your denizen. I do not believe the others are aware, but if you face your denizen either prematurely or in a manner defiant of the story arc of your planet, he or she will already be awake. You will be given a choice.

TT: As rumor has it, when you pay attention to the offered alternative to a fight the result of accepting what your denizen has to offer can be quite essential.

ES: That actually sounds quite promising, Rose. I may not be able to make that kuso teme pay for what he did to Bro but killing his murderer was never going to make the world any less wrong

ES: I’ve seen what revenge does to people, and human or otherwise it never fixes or changes anything positively. So if I can’t deal out justice or ensure he won’t hurt anyone else I’ll make sure I can protect those within my reach

TT: Oh dear, he even got the eldest Strider sibling? We five seem to have been dealt such a high amount of misfortune it is strange, and almost suspicious.

ES: What, do you mean you think there’s some diabolical plot at work? Like some evil genius treating the realm of this game and the people playing it like a chess board or either a crony or group of cronies acting out the will of some psychopath

ES: Because I’ve already had far more than my fill of multiple variations of both types in my last life

TT: Hm, if there is such a culprit or group of culprits they might think of themselves that way but given the way the game works and how things have progressed for our session thus far I would imagine that the truth of the matter would fall quite short.

ES: Yeah, I’ve had that happen a lot too

TT: Well regardless, we both have work to get done. Good luck, Kagome. Do message me again if you feel you require assistance dealing with your grief.

ES: Thank you, Rose. Please try to keep the risks to a minimum

electricSunset has ceased pestering tentacleTherapist

Kagome sighed, and then took a deep breath to try to reign in her emotions. There was still a heat within her veins urging her to find this archagent character, or to find Dave to either force him to hold her until she was ready to deal with the world the way she normally would or to check that he would be safe from the higher level enemies. And she wanted to send him pesters every fifteen or twenty minutes until he finally answered and she could break the news about Bro in person. But her talk with Rose had helped her cool down enough to think things through and control herself. She wanted to take down the reason their session was worse off than it had already been. Maybe once she was done or instead of that she could try to get a denizen or the horrorterrors Derse dreamers dealt with instead of prophetic clouds to direct her to what or who ever thought that the best possible timeline was one where two different sessions were supposed to be doomed to failure, death, or both in a variation of the worst possible scenario. In fact the only reason Kagome wasn’t going to do the latter was personal experience that it could still get a whole lot worse.

Still, Kagome didn’t know what the future held and the game had already deprived all five of them of their guardians. She wasn’t about to take any chances. That was why she was doing exactly as Rose had suggested. So she returned to LOLAC as fast as she could. Within minutes, Kagome had flown through the portal that Rose had informed her was the quickest path to her denizen. She should have been nervous after the way her consorts talked about this mysterious figure. Especially knowing that in videogame terms it was one step below the ‘final boss’, or barring that equal in strength to the final boss at the weakest. But the closer she came the more her blood heated up all over again. She was too filled with the determination to protect to falter now.

Kagome had expected something like the hyenas’ lair in Lion King or Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings when she approached the entrance and found the lair was cavern like. Or at least like a cavern-type dungeon from MMOs and RPGs. But instead the deeper she got the more it became reminiscient of the Mines of Moria with a theme somewhere between fire and lightning. The coloring actually reminded her of prospit, only there was almost as much orange and red as there were yellow. Her mind flashing to Dave and Bro, she decided that no matter what whoever had designed this place intended it was in reality Strider themed.

When Kagome finally reached the inner sanctum where her denizen dwelled, it was a yellow colored version of a typical cavern with a glowing pool in the back that she was guessing was filled with lava or something along the lines of plasma. But Kagome didn’t pay much attention to it since she was focused on the creature she was sure was her denizen. It was so huge the only thing bigger she’d ever come across was the corpse of Inu no Taisho, Inuyasha’s and Sesshomaru’s father- which Kagome wasn’t convinced hadn’t been because they were in a separate dimension of sorts- and vaguely serpentine. Kagome couldn’t say she was fond of snakes, but a reptilian denizen was way better than a worm-like one or something reminiscent of Mistress Cenipede so she considered herself lucky.

The sound it made was somewhere between a growl and a roar and yet somehow, it made just as much sense to Kagome as the strange script she’d somehow been able to make sense of. “I am Kaminari, and I am the one ultimately in charge of the fate of this planet and your personal quest. Do you realize what coming to this place early means?”

Kagome clenched her fists as a physical reminder to keep her cool, she probably needed the trademark Strider Poker Face more than ever. “I do, and that is why I’m here.”

“Very well, then so be it. You have a choice to make.” Kaminari boomed, “We can fight now, and if you are the victor you will level up a great deal and obtain powerful weapons. Or you can undergo a trial and should you succeed you will be granted a more flexible form of the ability that allowed you to so easily control you aspect.”

Kagome frowned slightly. “Are you saying... I’ll be a miko again?”

Kagome wasn’t certain she wanted that. In her last life she had struggled so hard to be Kikyou’s equal only for her effort to be in vain despite her improved aim and success in accessing her spirit energy. The last thing she wanted was to be pigeon-holed like that again.

“That decision would be yours.” Kaminari denied, “By my reckoning mikos of true power are women who have trained for a young age both as Shinto priestesses and to use spirit energy in a very specific manner. I offer only to unlock your latent spirit energy; you may use it as you wish.”

Behind her yellow shades Kagome’s eyes gleamed. That meant that on top of being able to train to actively wield her spirit energy how she wanted she could train in the more passive uses of spirit energy. She could figure out how to actively use the more sensory aspect, how do disrupt energy or break curses, maybe even heal people. But more importantly she could be much more prepared for a fight, watching anime with Bro and playing videogames had taught Kagome just how diverse the options for how to fight using things like spirit energy could be.

She raised her already tilted head further to look Kaminari right in the eyes. “Then... I’ll take this trial. What do I have to do?”

“The Witch of Space has already set plans in motion to perform the Scratch.” Kaminari revealed, “Dealing with that is a tricky business. The key lies in ruins and memories. I shall send you on your way.”

With a great roar and a wave of energy Kagome was engulfed in a flash of light that accompanied a use of great power. There was a sensation akin to using the portals located above the five planets and traveling through the Bone Eaters Well at the same time. When the light and sensation were gone, Kagome wasn’t on LOLAC anymore, and the other four planets orbiting Skaia were nowhere in sight either.

End of Chapter


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the dream bubbles. Kagome gets a break from action, but also learns some pretty important things.

Chapter Five

Kagome wasn’t entirely sure where she was. But there was debris floating everywhere. Strangely enough, there were thirteen or fourteen areas where the destruction was concentrated. She was floating just above a purple place that might be Derse. By the look of things soon the right phrasing was going to be ‘might have been’. There was a black blur, green fire everywhere, and a few times Kagome saw what might have been some kind of red energy attack. Kagome drew a kunai from her strife deck when she realized she could hear screaming. But before she could do anything Derse was rubble too. There was a black figure with wings, a katana sticking through it, and a dog-shaped head floating amongst the wreckage. Behind it Kagome saw a pillar of light similar to the one that accompanied her ascension to godtier. Then, it clicked.

‘The dead crow I prototyped Dave’s kernelsprite with still had the katana Dave accidentally killed it with... And Sollux said-’ Kagome recalled, eyes hardening as she came to a decision, ‘If I’m right and someone is reaching godtier now then I should probably buy some time. That might be part of why Kaminari transported me.’

Kagome threw the kunai, and then drew her Diamond Blaze scythe. She knew that the katana through his torso wasn’t quite the same as the katana it was copied from. Bro had purposely gotten Dave and her katanas that are so cheap a normal child could crack them as a lazy, subtle attempt to make sure they didn’t get hurt. But the copy that the (probably former) archagent had was obviously different if it had survived a death match with Bro intact. She flew forward at a steady pace, and the dog person the archagent had become met her halfway with his katana already in hand.

“Do you actually have a reason for all of this or are you just throwing a temper tantrum of monumental proportions?” Kagome quipped as she blocked a blow aimed for her neck.

“None a your damn business, kid!” he growled.

Then the smoke cleared, revealing that the pillar of light had died down. A girl with gray skin, black hair, candy corn colored ram-like horns, and beautiful red fairy-like wings could be seen. Kagome couldn’t see her eyes well enough to see what color the irises were but her sclera were yellow rather than the white that humans had. Her godtier outfit was varying shades of red, even the gear symbol; the pants were a little baggier and her hooded shirt almost resembled a tunic. Even from a distance Kagome could see a big grin on her face. The archagent moved to attack her instead but she just held her hands out as if something was shooting out of them and he froze. Then she grabbed Kagome’s hand and pulled her through a green portal that had formed in the archagent’s body. All Kagome could see was a gigantic green sun.

Kagome blinked. “... Would this be the Green Sun Rose wants to destroy?”

“Exactly! Only her mission was never meant to do what she intends.” the fairy girl chirped, “You’re Kagome right? I’m Aradia Megido, and it’s really nice to meet you.”

Kagome shook her hand. “Yeah... Kagome Strider. Would I be right again in guessing that you’re one of the trolls?”

“Yup! I’ve been deal for almost two sweeps though, so having emotions again and not being an apathetic ghost or a violent robot is really nice.” Aradia confirmed.

“So... What next?” Kagome asked.

“At this point we’re waiting for Rose and Dave to get here, the Tumor is what creates the sun in the first place.” Aradia explained, “Would you care to explore the dream bubbles with me in the meantime?”

Kagome blinked. “Dream bubbles? What are those?”

Aradia’s expression didn’t falter. “They’re just like they sound, of course! Feferi was asleep while your session’s Jack was destroying our session’s Derse, and afterwards she talked to the horrorterrors and convinced them to glub up the dream bubbles as a replacement for waking up in your dream self’s body on Prospit or Derse and a safe haven for the various dead versions of everyone.”

Behind the safety of her shades Kagome’s eyes grew glossy with tears she wouldn’t let herself shed. “Ev- even... Bro? And John’s dad and Rose’s mom?”

Aradia’s smile dimmed as a sympathetic expression dawned on her face. “I’m sorry, Kagome, but any version of them you came across would only be a memory. The only ghosts are dead players, their dead dream selves, and versions of players who died in doomed timelines.”

Kagome tried not to think about the implication that whatever decided how a session was supposed to go was very specific and possible even more sadistic in regards to how things were supposed to progress. “You’re saying it wouldn’t really be him but I could encounter a memory of him? How does that work?”

“Well the scenery and contents of the dream bubbles comes from memories. If you don’t know you’re dreaming or dead you relive a memory until you realize something is strange, and sometimes even if you do remember you can watch a memory play out or interact with the illusionary version of someone who was part of the memory.” Aradia elaborated.

Kagome grinned. “That sounds interesting... let’s go!”

The first bubble had the Dave who had been tricked by a troll trying to prove a point about godtier. Aradia explained some things once he realized something was up and remembered everything, then Kagome gave him a big hug. When the memory reverted to Dave’s room after Aradia showed them what the outside of her home- hive, as Aradia had called it- a dead troll Aradia told her was called Tavros showed up. Kagome couldn’t tell if he wanted to befriend Dave or get under his skin but Kagome found it really funny. After a few minutes she realized he was the one that had blocked Dave after he freaked him out badly via pretending he was coming onto him. (Or maybe despite Dave having been joking he might turn out to really be interested in Tavros, Kagome had no idea.) The next one was the memory of a doomed robotic version of Aradia, who explained that she’d been a ghost for a while, made herself her own sprite in the trolls’ session, and then possessed a robotic version of herself a friend had made until the events that led to her going godtier. The memory was of discovering a hat, a wallet, and...

“Holy crap, that’s Lil’ Cal! So the bastard that killed Bro stole him?!” Kagome exclaimed, “Not that it’s any loss, the thing is off somehow and it’s no real loss.”

Aradia put a hand on Kagome’s shoulder. “Yes, it is. But we’ll learn more later, now hush.”

That was when Aradia cut into the Aradiabot’s conversation with Sollux to help them figure out what was going on. As it turned out Sollux had gone blind. He also lost a few teeth, which apparently had been responsible for the lisp. Without his sight, Sollux had apparently lost an aspect of his powers that had given him a lot of grief. Right as he was deciding he liked the changes there was a noise. It turned out to be Jade, and Sollux had to be scolded by the godtier Aradia for being rude to her.

“Sollux, don’t be rude to our guests!” Aradia complained.

“Plural? Someone else is here?” Sollux asked.

“Yeah... I’m Kagome. Thanks for all your help and giving me somebody to talk to, Sollux.” Kagome greeted.

“Wha- Kagome?! Yay, I’m so happy to meet you!” Jade squealed and hugged her.

Kagome grinned, “Jade, I’m so happy to finally see you face to face even if you’re dreaming!”

“What are you doing here? Are you asleep too?” Jade asked.

“Long story short I’m here in person.” Kagome corrected.

Jade revealed that Feferi, another troll, had set the bubbles up. She also revealed that she’d met a future version of the godtier Aradia in another dream bubble. Aradia explained a little about how the dream bubbles work. And then it shifted to a different memory as Aradia explained that she’d known from the start that that first bubble would be essential for learning essential things about their existence and their adventure in the strange multi-realm of the game. After making sure everyone was ready Aradia explained that the next memory would belong to a troll called Kanaya and prompted them to hide until Kanaya realized that the memory had happened before.

Kanaya realized right away that it was a memory, and when she asked Aradia said that she was unconscious and would awake as a ‘new self’. Apparently the Virgo troll had been prepared for some sort of transformation since she was young, just as Aradia had been groomed for something. Apparently after the discovery Aradia had Sollux deliver the pieces of Lil’ Cal to Kanaya because she knew Kanaya would be able to fix him. That was when everyone was allowed to reveal themselves and Kanaya started glowing, her skin looking white instead of gray. Sollux also seemed like he would wake up soon and Kagome and Jade got to introduce themselves to Kanaya. When they got back to the point Kanaya mentioned that she had fixed Lil’ Cal and changed his clothes to a green suit. Then Tavros was back, and it was revealed that the trolls who used to flarp until disaster struck wrote parts of a code. Aradia and Tavros wrote one pair that made up a word, and Terezi and Vriska had written the other half. Roboaradia then revealed that there had been one more fragment consisting of eight symbols written when one of the trolls not present went crazy in a doomed timeline. Apparently her timeline was doomed because a text containing the code was supposed to be destroyed by an explosion which didn’t happen in the doomed timeline. It turned out agents of Derse had gathered not only that text but the four others containing the pieces of the code. In the veil the code was combined with other objects to create Alternia’s guardian Doc Scratch.

Kagome stared at the scene of the troll session’s black queen creating something using the code, some kind of orb, and Lil’ Cal incredulously. “I think this is proof that I was right about there being some sort of big bad....”

Not long after Aradia and Kagome left the bubbles. When Kagome asked Aradia explained that it wouldn’t be long before the reason that they had gone to the Green Sun had come to pass. Sollux followed them. Aradia though not surprised hadn’t been sure that it was even possible for Sollux to do that. Aradia realized that Sollux was half dead, and mentioned that they were waiting for two humans and the surviving trolls. Suddenly they figured out that while his vision was only 2D Sollux had his sight back, said realization meaning one of the eyes was pale instead of blackened to signify he was half ghost. (Like Danny Phantom, though Kagome didn’t know yet if revealing that would be a good idea.)

Kagome grinned. “So on top of my twin and my sort-of sister the other trolls are coming, or what’s left of them rather? I can’t wait.”

“So... how did you physically get here?” Sollux asked.

Kagome shrugged. “One moment I’m agreeing to a deal with my denizen Kaminari the next thing I know I’m watching your session’s version of Derse get destroyed. That damn dog bird was in the process of starting a fight when Aradia here revived, froze him with time powers, and took me here.”

Sollux snorted. “First that fish fucker blinds me when FF and I tried to stop him from causing everyone’s deaths, then I half die overusing my psionics, and then you’re saying you wound up all the way in our session? You create a whole new level of crazy just by being around.”

Kagome gave him a pointed look. “Sollux... we’re trapped in a possibly magical game that makes a bunch of children who haven’t necessarily ever actually met face to face before go through a deadly fantasy and sci-fi combo adventure meant to create universes on top of simultaneously destroy the planet they came from and save them from said planet’s destruction. I’m relatively certain that remembering a past life that involved time travel and things I would wager even aliens with advanced technology would be hard put to believe exist a moot point.”

“Touché.” Sollux conceded, “So I didn’t think I’d get to meet you in person, this is really great.”

“Yeah, this is really awesome.” Kagome agreed, “You’ll play videogames with me when we’re on the meteor, right? I’ve wanted someone besides Dave or Bro to play with for a long time.”

Sollux smirked. “You’re on! Is one of your human games like Troll Mario Kart?”

Kagome giggled, finding the fact that the word ‘troll’ was at the beginning of the title silly and amusement in the fact that the cultures were so similar they even had (presumably) the same game. “It’s only called ‘Mario Kart’ but yeah, we do.”

The rest of the time consisted of Aradia and Sollux catching up as Kagome got to know the two. He had his flaws just like everything and everyone else in every universe but Sollux turned out to be a great guy, if a little apathetic. And Kagome was convinced that Aradia would become one of her best friends given the chance, she was so cheerful, nice, and quirky. It wasn’t too long before Dave and Rose came along. An explosion destroyed the moon of Derse they were on, and created the Green Sun to begin with. As a result of the shenanigans both ascended to godtier similarly to how Aradia had.

Kagome immediately pulled both into a hug, using the fact that if you went by ectobiology Rose was her sister as an excuse. “Dave, Rose! You’re finally here. Rose, this is so great I’ve wanted to meet you for so long. It just bites that I haven’t met John and that I only saw Jade in a dream bubble.”

Rose patted her back, and then pulled away. “Yes, this is quite lovely and I look forward to seeing how you’re different in real life from how you come across online. But I do believe that the meteor the remaining living trolls are on is approaching.”

Kagome kept the hood of her godtier outfit down, in her opinion it was ridiculous. But nonetheless the quintet still made for quite the impressive sight. And, as it would later turn out, quite the relieving one. Karkat, Terezi, and Gamzee had no idea that Aradia and Sollux weren’t dead; they also hadn’t had any clue what had become of the three humans. While three of the four who had arrived on the meteor took the information in stride and were just happy to see them Karkat was staring in shock, nearly slack jawed. He appeared to have been crying over what turned out to be Sollux’s corpse. Kagome could also see the body of the troll girl she’d learned from Aradia was Vriska. According to her count there were three trolls unaccounted for, from a few things the others had said they had probably died like Vriska had.

Aradia nudged Sollux. “I told you they’d have your body.”

Sollux visibly suppressed a shudder. “Yeah, I already believed you and I can see that. Ugh, can we please get rid of that thing?”

Aradia immediately grew excited. “Oh, let’s do it!”

Sollux stared at her blankly. “What do you mean?”

“Sollux, let’s throw a corpse party!” Aradia proclaimed, “There won’t be a better time and we have so many bodies to work with. If everyone’s okay with that we can have a big corpse party and incinerate the remains in the sun, it’ll be glorious.”

Rose voiced her confusion. That prompted to Aradia to have her tell the other trolls about human funerals. Only it was clearly a biased personal experience, and nobody understood. Even Dave thought Rose made little sense or was messing with them. Aradia found it too specific, saying that she’d had something more multicultural in mind.

Aradia turned to Kagome. “Can you make it any clearer?”

“Let’s see... a funeral is a ceremony where people, generally loved ones such as friends and family, gather to lay the dead person’s body to rest. There are various methods of taking care of the body, and other things that change depending on religion or lack thereof, the region it’s happening in, etc.” Kagome elaborated, “If the person or whoever set up the funeral is religious there will typically be something ritualistic meant to help their spirit move on. But the one thing that’s constant is that from the perspective of the living it’s a time to either mourn your loss or celebrate the life of the person you lost.”

Aradia tried to get them to brainstorm ideas, but Sollux nipped her plans in the bud. He pointed out that the other four were just meeting the humans and reuniting with them on top of having just gone through some really heavy stuff. The Aries troll explained that she thought they could bond over it. Sollux pointed out not everyone was so into death.

“It’s nice to see you so excited over something but for the others it’s pretty fucking morbid.” he explained.

Aradia’s smile fell. “Am I really that bad?”

“Yes.” Terezi confirmed, frowning.

“Oh... I’m sorry.” Aradia apologized, “I’ve been here so long I just don’t see death as terrible like the living tend to. I honestly see it as a reason to celebrate.”

“Aradia, when I said that some humans celebrate the lives of the dearly departed I meant that they literally throw a party in the normal sense instead of a somber event where people mourn. It’s okay to think that way.” Kagome reassured.

“She’s right Aradia, nobody is blaming you. I actually find your death fangirl thing funny and kind of charming.” Terezi agreed.

With that Terezi dubbed Aradia ‘Death’s Handmaid’ in the middle of elaborating what she meant when Aradia voiced confusion. It was also revealed that humans and trolls both had a personification of death who was a skeletal figure. Kagome found all the similarities both species had very intriguing.

Terezi was outright gleeful at the concept. “So you’re telling me Dave that we both have Death and cotton candy? We might as well be the same damn species.”

Karkat, not so much. He brought everyone’s attention back to important things, fussing over how the Green Sun was still standing. In response Dave mentioned that they’d been tricked and Aradia confirmed that it wouldn’t ever be destroyed, Karkat and the others had been misinformed. When the Cancer troll expressed concern Rose claimed they’d just regroup and defeat Jack in person. In response Karkat started to freak out, but Gamzee managed to calm him. When part of Karkat’s metaphors mentioned ventriloquism Kagome remembered Lil’ Cal. Frowning and eyes narrowed in concentration, it didn’t take her long to find the puppet not far from where everyone was standing. She approached it- and a chill went down her spine as her spiritual senses reawakened. She could sense an aura, possibly more than one aura. Lil’ Cal was so strange- creepy in Dave’s secret opinion- because he was cursed and possessed. Kagome took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she took hold of her spirit energy.

‘Using spirit energy is all about intent.’ Kagome reminded herself.

The nearly forgotten energy rose to the surface as she focused on breaking the curse and any hold the puppet had on anyone. She could try to heal any lasting damage later. In the background she could hear Karkat start to fuss over how bright the green sun was instead, but she didn’t acknowledge anything else going on. When she could feel the energy coating her hands Kagome gripped Lil’ Cal and pushed the energy into it- or rather, him. There was a flash as the eyes went blank. A sensation tugged on Kagome’s senses like something or someone screaming in rage and pain. Gamzee’s head immediately turned towards her, and he flashstepped in front of her.

“What are you up and doing, chica?” Gamzee asked.

“This... thing... Bro loved the thing as much as he secretly loved Dave and me. But something always seemed... off.... about it.” Kagome explained, “A deal with my denizen reawakened the potential I had in my last life, and I immediately realized exactly is wrong with it- him. Lil’ Cal is cursed and possessed. So I got rid of whatever was tied to him.”

“Damn, that might up and be why my thinkpan is suddenly empty and motherfucking clear.” Gamzee mused, “I think I owe you some thanks, Kagsis. That lil’ motherfucker fucked up my thinkpan something fierce, pretended to be a friend too. But I’m not so sure it’s safe to motherfucking keep around.”

Kagome sighed, she knew he was right but wanted something to remember Bro by. “To think this thing was by Bro’s side constantly my entire life... maybe even his entire life... Fuck, this explains so much...”

Gamzee put a hand on her shoulder as she focused on keeping her composure. “You all right, motherfucker?”

“Yeah...” turning her head slightly to look at the others Kagome shouted, “Aradia, Sollux! I need your help with something.”

“Yes?”

“What do you need?”

Kagome held up Lil’ Cal. “We need to destroy this. Will the green sun do it or should we pick a different method?”

“But didn’t thith freaky thing belong to your Bro?” Sollux asked.

Kagome’s eyes hardened. “This thing... something never seemed right about it, and just now I could tell suddenly that it was cursed and possessed. So, I got rid of whatever was wrong with it. But I won’t let this thing stick around, not when it sounds like it had a hand in whatever Gamzee had to do with whatever happened here.”

“You’re saying GZ went on a rampage... because he was controlled by an evil puppet?” Sollux confirmed, his eyes narrowing.

Kagome nodded, “I’ve seen stuff like that before. Gamzee already seems different from when the five of us got to the meteor.”

Sollux turned to Aradia. “What do you say, AA?”

“It’s already been involved in a lot of damage, I’d say the Green Sun is just what the doctor ordered.” Aradia agreed.

With that Sollux used his psionics to blast Lil’ Cal into the green sun. Karkat was the first one to investigate. The others also looked towards them, though.

“What the fuck are you four up to?” Karkat demanded.

“Gamzee’s ‘new pal’ was a cursed and possessed puppet that was controlling him. I got rid of what made Lil’ Cal more than a puppet, and Sollux here helped me get rid if it for good.” Kagome explained.

Karkat was clearly incredulous and furious. “Wait, what? That shit fest wasn’t just a natural result of Gamzee going sober and flipping the fuck out? God fucking damn it, Gamzee, I’ve said before not to keep important shit you can’t handle on your own from me.”

Gamzee frowned. “I’m sorry, best friend. I was confused, and you were motherfucking busy. ‘Sides, I was already freaking you out with the shit I was pulling.”

Karkat sighed. “No, no... It’s fine as long as you’re okay now. This just means I don’t have to worry about you as much as I thought I would.”

With that taken care of, the topic was once again brought around to trying to be productive. When Karkat tried asking about a leader of the group, Aradia said that nobody else cared and probably never had, and then revealed that the humans were the ones they should defer to on the subject of what to do. More specifically Rose and how as a Seer of Light she was particularly adept at picking out a tactic. Rose pointed out a direction, and after a tangent revealed that if they left at the right moment they would be able to head directly to the humans’ new session. The news that it would take three years distressed Karkat after he was told how long a year was, and Aradia retorted that it would be a great adventure.

“If I wasn’t having so much fun with my death fangirl thing I’d be jealous.” Aradia added.

“You’re not going?” Kanaya asked.

“I still have work to do here.” Aradia admitted, “But that doesn’t mean that we won’t meet again in the bubbles during you journey!”

“I hope so.” Terezi said, disappointed that they would be parted.

“I don’t know guys, I might stay here too.” Sollux admitted.

Karkat hated the idea, and all but begged Sollux to go with them on the meteor. Sollux explained that he wasn’t sure he belonged with the living anymore. When Karkat pointed out that he was only half ghost, he explained that he was tired of the adventures and wanted to spend time with Aradia while catching up with their dead friends.

Kagome frowned. “I’ll miss the chance to get to know you, Sollux. We still haven’t even played videogames.”

In the background Kanaya said she might stay too so she could enjoy the sunlight since she supposedly wouldn’t be of any use. Aradia disagreed and encouraged Kanaya to keep up hope that there was still a chance to ensure their species survived. Rose also encouraged Kanaya to stay, and Kagome swore there was flirting going on... she saw Terezi giggling over something as Dave smirked in amusement, too.

“Oh my god, everyone is hitting on each other.” Karkat realized in mortification, “Sollux please don’t leave me alone, I can’t take this shit.”

Sollux just snickered in amusement at Karkat’s distress. Kagome’s eyes darted to Gamzee. She couldn’t be sure yet if she’d gotten all of the information on quadrants she needed from her talk with Karkat, he’d clearly implied that there was something between him and Gamzee.

Knowing how likely it was that she was right, she looked at Karkat pointedly. “At least you seem to have a... did you say the word for the person in your pale quadrant is moirail? If Sollux does stay behind, I’ll be the only single one among the bunch of us.”

Sollux smirked. “Are you implying thomething KG?”

“No, I’m not. If I were it would be that having a friend who won’t be distracted by a crush or significant other would be nice.” Kagome refuted.

“Wait fuck Sollux please tell me you haven’t been flirting with Strider’s hatchmate!” Karkat complained, dragging Sollux into one of their mostly playful arguments.

When their backs were turned and Kagome seemed to have been mostly forgotten, her eyes darted to the two dead bodies. Seeing all of the gore that resulted from Inuyasha’s and Sesshomaru’s methods of fighting had been bad enough. But this was the most time Kagome had ever spent around dead bodies without a fight or tense situation going on to distract her. She stepped backwards slightly to get some distance from them. Gamzee, who had just been watching Karkat, noticed.

“What’s wrong, my righteous sister? Them corpses up and motherfucking bothering you?” Gamzee asked.

Kagome nodded. “It’s a little off putting and awkward... Grieving when I found Bro’s body was one thing especially considering I couldn’t move his body to lay him to rest. But just standing around talking with two bodies just laying there is sort of eerie...”

“Would you like this motherfucker to up and take care of them for you?” Gamzee offered.

“That’s nice of you... but I can always help, you know.” Kagome countered.

“Nah, it’s not a motherfucking problem. I’ve got it just fine.” Gamzee refuted, “’Sides, them voices I up and motherfucking kept hearing before you performed that miracle let on that all of the bodies need to be preserved ‘cause they’ll be needed for something later.”

Gamzee was long gone by the time Karkat realized the bodies were missing, and then noticed that he was gone too. Karkat freaked out over it just like almost everything else had bothered him. Apparently Gamzee had stuffed other bodies in jars for preservation after cutting off their heads. Kanaya accused Gamzee of kissing the heads. Dave went from asking about what had happened to figuring out with Rose that the dead horse Bro had made bibs for him and Kagome from when they were babies was the same one Rose’s mom had given to her for her birthday.

“Could you two please give Gamzee a break?” Kagome asked Kanaya and Karkat, “He moved these two bodies because they were making me uncomfortable. Besides, whatever was in Lil’ Cal and using mind control or hypnosis told Gamzee that the bodies will be needed later for some reason.”

“Why the fuck would we need a bunch of corpses for?” Karkat asked.

“Yes, surely they will be nothing but a nuisance which gives off an unpleasant odor. We’re lucky that we didn’t have to deal with that because we all prototyped our lusus as our sprites.” Kanaya added.

“Wait, the sprites...! Even mine proved though other options are possible they all seemed to prefer things that were alive or used to be alive. What if we get to the session only to have to deal with prototyping kernelsprites all over again?” Kagome realized, “If there are other players and they didn’t do anything with their sprites what Gamzee did could really come in handy.”

Karkat felt Kagome had a point. “Well, fuck. I guess I was being harsh if it was like that. I forgot that death seems to be a bigger deal for humans. And even if the players in the new session prove to be competent it’s still smart to plan ahead, so good thinking.”

Kagome shrugged. “Look, I get keeping an eye on him after whatever happened here is important, but whatever you do just don’t forget that Gamzee seems to genuinely care about you. Don’t let drama with the others or one mistake interfere with that or even worse things could happen down the road.”

Karkat looked at her speculatively. “Well, you don’t seem as much of a self absorbed dumbass as your brother I’ll give you that. Why do you care so much?”

Kagome looked Karkat in the eye. “Because I’ve seen how much worse drama can make an already dangerous or tense situation.”

Kanaya barely bothered listening to Kagome’s initial explanation before she started to leave herself. When Karkat asked about it she said she was going clown hunting, implying she meant to kill Gamzee. Before they could find out if Kanaya would heed Karkat’s pleads to leave Gamzee alone everyone present got distracted. With a green flash a portal that resembled a rip in reality formed. A moment later a bucket flew threw and bounced off of Karkat’s head. After a moment of freaking out he investigated and discovered that John had written a note on the back of one of his posters... and that Davesprite had used sprite powers to draw on the front of said poster. The note gushed over how all five humans had gone godtier, made some comments about interspecies makeouts, then thanked Vriska and gave well wishes from Jade and Davesprite. Other than that it was relatively short. Kagome didn’t see how it was a big deal when everyone found out what it said later. But at the moment, Karkat stared at Rose, Kanaya, Dave, and Terezi in horror before dropping the poster like it had caught fire and proceeded to freak out all over again.

Before anyone could ask Karkat if he was all right or look at the note, other portal formed. A dead carapacian that seemed to be from Derse wearing a sash made from cable with a label that said ‘Mayor’ on it was dropped amongst them. Kagome immediately rushed to his aide, but he turned out to be dead or too close to dead for her to do any good. Rose revealed that he was the extra traveling companion she had mentioned.

“Is he dead?” Dave asked, noticing that Kagome was only trying to clean the blood off.

“If we leave immediately we can get him help.” Rose reassured, “Luckily for him we have little choice, Jack is on his way.”

Karkat asked about rockets, but Rose said that one good push was the only thing needed for the journey to begin. More like a chase, in Kagome’s opinion, since Rose mentioned that it would be a literal race to maximize how long it would be until they had to face Jack again. Aradia offered to take care of that with her telekinesis Kagome hadn’t known before then that she had.

“Can you help me with that Sollux? They’ll need the biggest push we can give them.” Aradia asked.

“Uh yeah, sure. Not as much as I could if I were staying behind, though.” Sollux agreed.

“Well that’s not good, but I still think we can make this work.” Aradia noted.

Kagome perked up, remembering a miscellaneous item she’d made with the glitchy snow cone machine she’d assumed would be useless or just very difficult to make useful. Accessing her fetch modus, she retrieved a piece of orange candy that resembled a gumdrop.

“I can’t believe this thing is actually coming in handy, but I believe that you’ll need this.” Kagome told her, “I still don’t know how this thing even exists, but eat it and it’s supposed to triple your power for fifteen minutes.”

Aradia smiled. “Thanks, Kagome. This will really come in handy. Anyway, I’ll slow Jack down. It won’t last long but it’s the best I can do.”

“Thank you Aradia, that will come in handy.”

“Anyway are you ready Sollux?” Aradia asked.

“Yeah, sure.” he answered.

Aradia held her palm out towards the meteor. Sollux put his index and middle fingers to each side of his forehead. Aradia glowed yellow, and a glow that flashed between yellow, white, and black engulfed Sollux. And with that, they were off. Kagome was sure it would be either the longest or the shortest three years of either life.

End of Chapter


End file.
